Saki :Missing Power In Strict Sens
by Fragment of ring
Summary: While the Incident Solver relaxed one of the strangest Incident took place at Flandre birthday. To resolve it they will have to do two thing : go outside of Gensokyo and find a high school that take them in. Why? To take part in the 71st Interhight Mahjong Tournament of course. A TouhouxSaki crossover
1. Prologue : A bad omen

Hello. this is my first fanfiction, After reading some other work I had the urge to write a Saki X Touhou because I felt I could do something with it and that SakiXover were lacking.I made some change (like age of fladre to better match th seeming age the touhou cast)

If I they are thing that feel off or Missing please tell me, and if you like tell me too.

Disclaimer:Touhou , Saki and their characters Belong to their respective owner

**Missing Powers in Strict Sens**

Prologue: A bad omen

or

"What could happen when you put Flandre in a bad mood , Yukari messing around and a Moriya shrine conspiracy together, during the visit surprise of the local Yama and of the diplomats of the Moon... Yeah Really what could happen?"

(Sakuya POV)

It was a winter's morning ,and like every good Maid should, I was already working . On a normal dayRemilia-Sama and Flandre-sama should not be awake at this hour. But that day was different. Yes ,it was Flandre 499 birthday . And thank to the idea of a certain Black-white witch ,and the boredom of my master , we woudl celebrate it that year .

And so that was why on those days I had more work than usual.

Normally I wouldn't complain ,but Flandre had woken up on the wrong side this morning._ The simple fact that she woke up on the morning was already a bad omen_

And by the worst of chance the 'reals guests' could only come in the evening due to prior engagement but the troublemaker were already here. _Really why does the Yakumo, the gods of the Moriya shrine the resident of Eintei and some of the underground hell resident are here, even that psychopath flower Youkai and that celestial. "Seriously_ ... making that Hell Raven come out to play ,with Flandre in this mood ,is someone planing to destroy the Manor"

"I hope it's not the case ,Komachi and I have a day off today so I came to see the upper world. And you said that last bit out load ,you should take care to guard those thinking for yourself .Everyone have bad day but it's not a reason to blame it on other"

"I know but..."_wait a minute ,did she said "Komachi and I" don't tell me..."_ I turned around to receive the new guest and my fear was confirmed "Good morning Shikieiki-Sama ,why did you came here ?"

"The gate was opened and the guard was sleeping and after I gave her proper counseling she said that there was a party and that almost every one was already here so I came in ,there is no problem I hope"

"No there' s is not I just wanted to know to be sure no arm would be done to my mistresses, you are welcome"_ and with her here most of the unwanted guest will go just to don't have to be lectured._

"Good , I will see you later and we will talk about your error ,but for now your are busy with your duty so good-bye"

…...

What happened after that was what you could call real irony ,because the one who made a mistake was her ,and a big one. She tried to lectured Flandre. Because she was the Yama ,and Flandre was what she was, I knew that this could happen and I was ready for it, or so I thought .

I had let her enter believing she would make the parasites go away but her second(and last) victim off the day was a Flandre in a really bad mood. Thankfully even Flandre knew that destroying a Yama was a bad idea(And I thank Remila-sama for that.)

What I wasn't ready for was what happened after that :

Flandre ,was fulminating and searching something to destroy without making her sister mad,And she found it in the present from Yukari an the Moryia's in the Library; a library where the Watatsuki sisters (Visiting today of all day ,_[seriously I really should have known])_where talking with Eirin since it was the only real calm place in the manor. A library full of magic books and items.

The rest off what happened from that point is self-explanatory and was so much of an exploding mess that I don't want to explain.

The rest off what happened from that point was something I couldn't really explain even if I wanted .It was so much of an exploding mess that I wouldn't do it even if the Dragon god asked me since during those few minute that followed the first explosion came a Summary of most incident that was held in Gensokyo since we arrived.

Mainly ,what I remember is that I should NEVER AGAIN let presents from the Moriya shrine and present from Yukari together in the same place without knowing what they were, or let either of those near a frighten Lunarian ,or in a piece full of magic items.

And even less near Flandre for after that ,while I was laying in a hole under the garden off the Manor ,the real questions were not how much time and money would it cost to rebuild the Manor?

Nor it was how did I survived that with only few years less and a few scratch ?

The real question was where most of the stronger Youkai's essence and power in all existence had gone. All I knew is that they where no longer in Gensokyo.

Yes all those powerful Gods,Youkai, Fairy, Magician ...All of those who were in the Scarlet Devil Manors and it surrounding where now no more than empty vessel, their essences lost outside the Border.

The aftershock had spread thorough almost all off Gensokyo leaving nearly all Youkai out In the same state as the one in the Manor and I a Humans time manipulating maid was still there.

Before loosing consciousness all I could think was "I should have seen it coming"

* * *

Same time in the Senkai

(Reimu POV)

It was not so long ago that there had been an incident so I accepted the invitation to visit the Senkai with Marisa, Youmu, and Sanae (I would gladly have done it alone but Toyasatomimi no Miko insisted that they all come together) Before going to the party this evening at the manors.

Fortunately, there was nothing there to be stolen and nothing that would threaten Gensokyo immediate peace so the visit went calmly .Almost boringly so in-fact, because the dojo was huge (it could extend trough all Gensokyo thank to some space manipulation barrier from what I understood) and for me every thing felt the same.

And that why I couldn't understand why I was so on the edge ._I have a really, really bad feeling_ . And that went worse when I saw that Youmu ,Sanae and even Marisa looked like they felt something bad to."_What could it be that make everyone pale?_

And so when we made a pause to eat a lunch and Miko was gone saying she had to check on her disciple , Sanae was the first to ask what we surely where all thinking,"Marisa ,Youmu ,Reimu didn't you feel something since a while? "

"Yeah, there is something strange in the air since a while "Marisa said "Like the Magic is distort "

"If even Marisa feel it must be really bad, I knew I shouldn't let Yuyuko-sama alone today"

"Hey , what do you mean "even Marisa" I am perhaps an Ordinary Magician but I am as good as any of you here ~da-ze."_Don't tell me they are about to fight now._

"Arg"In any other time I would have left those two explicate themselves but we had to determine what was the problem here " We know Marisa ,she just meant that you are the one with less tie to the thing here, we don't have time to fight we must find out where does this feeling come from before the Incident blew too much"

"The lazy one is right, we must ask Miko to show us a door so we can see what's happening outside." _What lazy ,I just don't Like making useless thing._

"Sorry about it ,your right but where is she? She should be back now."

"_Thing must really be bad if you are apologizing so quickly Marisa",_I was about to say that when we finally heard the door open, we all turned the head to see who it was and Miko was effectively here but she was with some one we didn't expect and that person seemed in bad state.

_And It had to happen today off all day_

"Could you help me with her ?" Said the hermit

"Sorry we don't have the time, but what happened to make her like that,"Youmu said quickly

"Don't exactly know" she said dubiously "I fond her in a hole near the big Manor's lake..."

"And if you are going to find out what happened up there I think she can tell you what it was."

"Why do you think she know it ?" _and what hole near the Scarlet Devil Manor? _

"Because she said she need to find you before loosing consciousness"

_Yes that would be a good guess, but really what hole? There is no hole there._

"No choice then, we will take care of her, if she know something that would be useful but you ,do you no something ?"

Youmu, Sanae and I started to make place so that the girl could lie down .And those who knew how made healing spell.

Meanwhile all that Miko said what that if she was right we should wait for the other girl to wake.

"By the ways,who is she?"suddenly asked Sanae "she look a little like Sakuya and even has the good clothes but she is too young"

"She don't just look like Sakuya" At that point I felt I had to say it"she Is Sakuya."

"HEH!"

My three companions looked shocked that young girl was the Scarlet Devil Manors head maid "I Don't know how but she must have made an error while playing with time"

"Are you sure ? She look like she is 14-year-old, at most 16" Sanae finally said after a while, still disbelieving.

"Yes she is right" Youmu retorted, the shock passed "Look there , her pocket clock"

"Yes this is really her no doubt ,she never let go of that thing~ze"

After confirming that she was effectively Sakuya we all got back tending to her. But there was still that feeling that something other was strange, _Something is missing here ,and if I am right,_

"Wait !Does it mean that the incident is related to the party tonight "this time again it was Sanae who erupted ,making the same link I was making.

"I would say yes ...and any Incident that got a link with a hurt Sakuya and **Flandre** birthday is definitely bad"

_At least we know where to start_ ,_but the problem remain..._

"Should one of us go to see"Youmu proposed"Yuyuko-Sama should already be on her road there and I would like to check on her"

"No ,we have to know what happened before."

Everyone looked at me with strange look and I could guess why .Going out solving Incident without knowing really the nature of said "Incident" was my specialty after all ,I was the firsts to admit .

"Going out without knowing what happened won't solve it this time ,I don't know why but I feel it ,we should wait and listen to Sakuya's story before deciding what to do, it shouldn't take long"

After some more strange look and deliberation we chose to wait for Sakuya to wake ? While we were imagining what could have went on when were down there.

_There is still something Missing but what could that be?_

* * *

(10 year in the past – Outside the border of Gensokyo -at night in the prefecture of Nagano)

"Onee-chan what are those lights up the mountains there?"

The girl was pointing a strange mass off eerie light that was swirling high in the ski.

The older girl ,2 year her elder looked were younger girl was pointing and suddenly went pale "..."

She took the younger girl by the arm and started running

"Onee-chaaaan!, why are you runniiiing … they are pretty light"

" Pretty maybe ,but I am sure I saw some off them looking at us-."catching her breath she continue" -And I don't want to find out how light are able to "look" so run before some thing happen"

The girl was right some thing was happening and those lights were not lights ,but where she was wrong was in thinking she could escape ,and she didn't saw those light splitting and some off them coming after them.

And even if there were not light say had the same speed. Every thing happened in less than 30 second, the two girl where hit by the lights who penetrate them in a swirling off power ,living them conscienceless .

Their parent fond them there ,In the garden off the family house and just assumed they had fallen asleep while gazing at the star ,and the two girl completely forgot what had happened that night.

At the same time ,others girls had similar thing happened to them across the country but no one would know what happened until at least a decade later .Even the rightful owners of what lied in those lights.

* * *

This is the end of the prologue, next time it is the outing of the Touhou Discovering Mahjong.

I Have Plan out the 'possession'' of each prevalent characters (they still are that some I am not totally sure) of the Saki cast and the main outline of the story now work on the harder the details,

so if you like, look forward and review.

Also I may have let some grammatical errors. If they're too much please tell me.

Fragment of Ring


	2. Chapter 1: Going out?

Here it come, the Chapter 1(Edit due to some errors I spotted afterward) ,It took me some time because I already started the chapter 2 and 3 Before ending that one. When an Idea size me I can't help but go developing it ,and then grinning during a long time at my genius( this story maybe shit but some idea I had ,I am really proud of me). And that generally result in the story being written from different point( for example the start of chapter 2 was made before the end of chapter 1 )

But I digress ,here is the chapter, I hope you Like it

(Edit due to some errors I spotted afterward)

Disclaimer:I don't own Saki,Touhou or their character,

* * *

**Missing Power in Strict Sens **

Chapter 1 :Going out ?

or

"How to end up having to play a game to save the your friends'soul...and the world ?"

(Sakuya POV)

"When will she get up ? I am starting to think we should have gone up there to see what happened"

That's the first thing that I heard when I came to, the memories of the cataclysm that had take place in front of my eyes still vivid in my mind .Seeing the soul of powerful Youkai ripe off of their body wasn't something that you can forget so easily ,and wasn't something that I wanted to forget for the mean time.

"Wait ,It won't take long she wasn't that injured"

_Where am I, and who is this ? _I carefully opened my eyes while reading my self to fight if needed. My vision was still blurred from the shock ,I could only see four human form but couldn't see their face. I could also see that I was in what seems to be a japanese's style room ,really different from the ones in the Manors,_Am I in the shrine_?

"Look she is moving she must be waking up" I finally recognized the voices of the ones around me. _That one must be Reimu._

"Ah ,at least ,we will finally heard what is today's mess, go spank the ass off the responsible and then take the tea with them at Flandre birthday~ze" ._That one indisputably Marisa._

"If it could be done so easily Reimu would have been the first to go, we are waiting for information because her intuition is saying that going without knowing would be useless" _and that voice belong to Youmu _

It's then that I remember that just before totally losing conscience I saw someone with plutonium hair and fox ears

_It must have been Miko... does it mean I fell in the Senkai ,I didn't knew it goes till the Manor._

"So now that you're awake ,can you tell us what happened up there by the hell of blazing fire ,I want to end it before evening to be sure that Kanako-Sama and Suwako-sama take the right present for Flandre . We may have an Incident but it still would be rude to don't give it to her . Even if she is a Vampire"

I was about to tell them what happened when I understood what implied what she was saying " The right present …you mean … there was a wrong present"

"Yeah they wanted to make her test a new product but I think it's to early and I have another present perfect for her" she smirked a little before coming back to what she was saying "but now isn't the good moment, what happen at the party that made you fall here..."

"And younger ,don't forget younger ~ze" Marisa finished

"Eh ? What do you mean younger … no forget ,I will see that latter ,and after what took place this is the least of my worries" then going back to Sanae "But one of my biggest may concern that wrong present, what was it?"

"Nothing , just an electrical converter for magic use , I don't see what it could have to do whit the incident ,like I said we decide to offer her something else in the end. "she said matter of factly " and they shouldn't be there already"

"You are wrong on every thing there Sanae those goddesses were already at the Manor .An the present have everything to do with it ,What sent me through the walls was the apparently the wrong use of them..."

"What ? you were put through the walls by a present!" Marisa interjected ..

"It can't be ,Are you sure they were already there?" Sanae asked.

"What wrong use exactly?" Reimu and Youmu inquired ,seemingly more on the real trouble at hand.

I was starting to get an headache but I opted to answer each of their question _.They 'll know soon enough even if I don't says it and I'll need their help to resolve that big mess._

"Firstly ,yes Sanae I am absolutely sure they were at the Manor, like almost all infamous person in Gensokyo."

She was about to interrupt but I hadn't the time so I ignored her ,making a sign that she could complain later, and continued.

"Secondly Yes Marisa I was knock down trough the walls partly due to presents ? But they were Yukari present and "the Wrong" present from the Moriya for Flandre . She was in a bad mood and found that her present were the good outlet for her anger"

Having answered their latest questions I came back to the main one.

"And to answer you first question I will just say that after the misuse of those present by Flandre and the missed tentative of some Lunarians and I to stop the apocalyptic chain reaction that followed" I stopped, catching my breath and making sure every one was listening "

"Every supernatural being that was near enough of the Manor is now an empty vessel having been strip of their soul and Power"

"WHAT!" this time the reaction was unanimous ,even Miko still there had reacted the same.

None of them asking a question I took the decision to deal the last blow "From what I saw their essence still exist but it got out of the Border of Gensokyo" When I ended my sentence I was fairly sure I herd Reimu nerves snap.

And I could see the distress on their face ,

"... all of them, all of them?"Youmu asked ,undoubtedly thinking About Yuyuko

"From what I've seen, yes, all without exception ,from fairies to Yama trough God ,Youkai,Ghost,Celestial, Tengu , Lunarian even Keine and Mokou ,and they're originally humans... I don't even know how I am still here."

"Even the Yama, what was that lesson maker doing there~ze"

"It was her day out so she decided to come and light the bomb" I said in a sarcastic tone _"_Everything was her handiwork in the first place ,since ,had she not tried to lecture Flandre ,she wouldn't have made everything explode while trying to find quickly an outlet for her rage"

"I knew that by wanting to lecture everyone ,one day ,she would cause an Incident" Reimu was at that moment the portrait of a mother earring for the xxxx time that her child had made a stupidity,That is to say her habitual face during Incident "But to think she would indirectly cause the vanishing of all nearly power holder in Gensokyo... That one I didn't saw It coming"_ I think that no one saw that coming in fact._

"So what do we do now?"

* * *

(Reimu POV)

Even if every thing was already causing me a headache it was for those occurrence that Gensokyo really needed me ,the Hakurei shrine maiden, so when I saw that no one was taking the initiative I started:

"You said that they are empty vessel right Sakuya?" she nodded in agreement at her question

" we should Gather the bodies here first and deal with the immediate treat that came from them being absent ,Miko you will help us for that particularly the underground Sun , it should be resting while Utsusho is out but it will need to be check on it every now and then,...and I don't really know how that thing work so ask Sanae"

"pfiou ...,Reimu you know how to deal with that sorta situation~ze "

"Not really, it's just common sens, I don't now why you are so surprised"

"She wouldn't be if you were more active like that in normal time, you always do only the minimum work"

" Maybe ,but it's always with maximum efficiency . I don't see why I should overwork myself when it's for nothing. But No time to loose ,If everyone is ready we got to start"

" The underground sun," Miko finally caught on "you want me to tend to it ?How am I supposed to do that ?"

"Ask your follower to do it ,Seiga should be able to go there and come back without much effort and is smart enough to understand not to mess whit it I believe"I opened the door and stopped waiting for Miko to show us out " now if you still want to talk do it while we go out of here"

She looked at the five us ,pondering for a time and said "Why do you care so much as to get out of Gensokyo for them?"and then she looked at Sanae and me particularly" Aren't you two suppose to exterminate Youkai ? ...However your desire to save those freak are strong enough that I could ear them even at the other side of Gensokyo"

"That's easy ,even if they are troublesome and some time scary,most of them are still friend~ze"

"Exact ,and even some more for some of us ," Sanae continued "but what do you mean going outside of Gensokyo?" she was a little confused about that bit.

"Weren't you listening when I said that I saw their soul disappearing outside the Border? That why she was asking Miko to take care of the Inside while we go outside searching for them"

"No I didn't hear it ,I stopped hearing for a while after you said that even the Goddesses had vanished,sorry"

"No problem ,but if they are outside we have even more reason to go" that time it was Youmu "So much power getting loose outside won't be good. Being for us or for them"

She was right and Miko knew it ,But she was still pondering_ .Does she dislikes them that much? Not even awake for long and so much conflict with the other already?_ To be sure she would do what had to be done I said the thing that would certainly make accede at our request:

"And, even if we don't like it, Gensokyo won't survive long without them. Particularly Yukari and her shikigami who're doing more than half the job maintaining the Border." I frowned saying that last bit ,not being proud of it. I still hadn't enough experience to do it alone myself ._Okay ,I admit I'm a little too much lazy on that. But Yukari is even lazier. The one doing all the work's Ran._

While I was self blaming for not having done my work properly Miko reached a decision. "I'll do as you say this time ,Even if it mean that Byakuren might come back, It would be worse for us if Gensokyo become too unstable"

She passed me at the door and said "Follow me I will show you the road to the Manor where I fond Sakuya" she started walking with us behind her.

…...

While walking as quickly as we could Marisa came to me and said quietly "Are you sure you want to entrust those hermits with the security of Gensokyo while we are away ,specially that bit about Seiga and the underground Sun" she looked like that bit was what really upset her " Letting that thief near that thing can't possibly end right~ze"

"You where near it not long ago and nothing happen, she maybe mischievous but she should know not to temper with a Sun ..._I hope"_ I had that last bit in my head before resuming "And it won't be necessarily her, it's just that going trough wall till the former 'hell of blazing fire' will be quicker. And she can let some of her Jiang Shi guard it"

"You are right, she may be on the border of being kleptomaniac but she was the one who show me the road of Taoism, she 's wise enough" Miko had likely use her peculiar earring and heard us "and even if she's not I will make sure that no trouble arise while you're …

Aahhhhh" Miko was about to continue when we heard Sakuya shout we all turn to see what was the reason for the sudden cry"What is this ,why is my body like that? I look Like Youmu now"

She had finally stumble on a mirror in the hall where we were walking

"I don't see what's the trouble looking like me, and I am older than you"

"You should know age has nothing to do with the physical body"

"Yeah ,she's right look at your Mistresses she is more than 500 years old but she look like a 10 years old child~ze"

"Suwako-sama look young but she's been alive for thousands years ,I know she is a god but still"

"I know that but..." she looked at her chest annoyed "And how did I and up like that?

For me it was clear how, "I would say a good mixture between the mess at the Manor and your power to manipulated time" I said impatiently "You just got a little younger that's all"

"Some people outside would kill to have that happen to them" Sanae added

"I don't care about those people ,nobody would take me seriously looking like that" she looked really depressed. _Why does she care so much for some years less?_

"I don't see the problem, I look young but every one take me seriously,and if they don't I just put my sword under their neck and they understand"

"You can't do that outside Youmu ,weaponry are prohibited outside"

At that time Miko stopped in front of a Big heap of earth and rock and looked at the big hole above where we could see the sun light and a part of what was remaining of the Manor.

"Ah! so she was talking about that hole" I couldn't help saying

"... Is it all you have to say Reimu? It will be a hell to repair everything?"

"At least Patchy won't complain that I never give back the book I borrowed~ze"

She could never have been more on mark ,because the hole that we were under was going from the garden to the other side of the Voile Library ,or more accurately what was the Library.

We could see the bodies of some of the victim just in from of us on the rubble that had fallen from the hole

"That hole wasn't that big when I rescued Sakuya earlier" Miko said to prevent anyone from asking why she hadn't taken the others' bodies

"It must have collapse in the meantime" what Youmu said ended the discussion on the matter everyone implicitly agreeing that it must have been it.

"Anyway we don't have the time to converse about what happened we have to finish collecting the bodies before the Sun set if we want to go out today"

"Why before sun set? Is there something at that time for you to be so serious about it" Sakuya said , put back on track by the tone of my voice

"Because the spell to weaken the Border work better at that moment and we can't go trough without it"

"eh , so you know how to do that to"

"I had no choice but to learn it after you and Yuyuko gave us an endless winter 2 years ago,"Actually I had piked up a lot of trick since two years ago, I was thinking of one notably that will clearly be very useful in the near future,and I don't even have to use my power for that one so no problem using it outside.

While I was thinking that ,Marisa and Sakuya had already gone outside to find the bodies that weren't in the hole and Sanae was extracting Suwako from under the rubble

"I guess we should start to. Youmu help dig out those one ,I wouldn't want a war with the moon because their bodies have been broken" without waiting the answer I started removing the clay on

* * *

(Miko POV)

"_So that what those girls are able to in time of need , good indeed" _I was looking at those 'nearly normal' human girl and liking what I saw, and heard ;Maybe helping them will bring me benefit in the future

"Do you want me to call Futo ,Tojiko and Seiga to helps?"

I didn't wait the answer ,already knowing it and called to them before going out of the hole to help finding the scattered bodies those Youkai ,spotting Byakuren and Kasen's bodies I couldn't help smile a little _"At least those to won't bug us for some time now_ ,_What was Kasen doing at the birthday of a mad vampire anyway"_

I took one of them under each arm ,not bothering being careful if they were hurt, and got back to the pit. They were only body anyways and if I was right it will take a long time before they can their soul and power,

When I was back I saw that Seiga and Futo were already there.

"So what did you call us for,it must have something to do with that big hole in the ceiling and the soulless body here and there but I don't see what you want" Seiga asked

"And why are you carrying those two ,didn't you hated them?" Futo went on

"No I don't hate them both , just the monk .The only one who hate Kasen here is Seiga"I professed " And for the reason I called you her ,it's to help those girl gather the bodies of the Youkai here"

"And why do we have to do that?"Seiga wasn't pleased by what she just heard.

"Because your boss said you would do it~ze" Marisa said ,carrying carefully in her arm a girl who looked like her but with shorter air ,wearying a white and blue robe ,an other girl ,that one with a full pink dress a cape ,on her broom.

"And because we have to do it quickly so we can go outside to get back their soul" followed Sanae ,having mange to dig out one of her goddesses and digging out the second.

"Are they serious? You really said that Miko?"Futo was on the same wavelength with Seiga for once.

"We don't really have the choice, as much as I am reluctant to admit it ,those freak are necessary to the well-being of Gensokyo and I don't thing we could live somewhere else for the time being"

"... Your right ,I don't like it but yeah tour right"Seiga understood my point more quickly than expect but I was glad

"So where do we put those soulless corps ,not in the Senkai I hope"

"In-fact" Reimu stood on "I would appreciate If you could let them in a piece under the shrine,it will be easier to put their soul back in their body that way since I will send them back using the link between two Yin-Yang orbs"

"I see ,yeah I should have known but..." But then Futo cut Seiga "Wait ,did you said send them back?" _Ah __that's right they don't know that the soul are outside._

"could it be,... no impossible it was ten years ago" I heard Seiga murmured, and seeing I was the only one to hear it even if I wasn't the nearest ,I thought I imagined it but still put it in the back of my mind before answering

"It would seem that the soul and power of those poor creature got lost outside so those Girls want to go outside to collect them and put them back in their body"

"I understand, and will go along"Futo said while going in what was remaining of the Manor.

Seiga still had interrogation and stayed ,and"But do they at least know at to put a soul that don't belong to a body out of it?" I was starting to ask myself the same question.

"Eh?"It was the girls turn to be surprise ._They didn't though about it?_

"What do you mean "put a soul outside a body" ,they aren't ghost," Reimu asked

"And even ghost don't do the most of the time" Being half-ghost ,Youmu must have felt she had to say it

"Yes, exactly they aren't ghost,they are power and soul without a body, Even if they didn't want it they Must already be resting inside the body of someone matching with them"That is something I knew too well ,having worked on resurrection ,reincarnation and everything that touch the cycle of soul.

"Really ? That would cause even more problem. Would they take the control of the one they're inside?"

"I don't think ,The main soul is too strongly tied to the body,"she then took a pause to think a little more about it and finished by"Maybe during the sleep ,and even then the vessel would need to be a powerful one himself,that's counting the soul inside already stabilized"

"How do you know it ,your are strangely knowledgeable about that thing"

"What sort of knowledge do you think is necessary to practice resurrection and manipulate Jiang Shi ? Of course I know that sort of thing" Seiga said proudly

"And would that knowledge extend to how to extract it" this time the question came from Sakuya who was still working on gathering the body and was Currently carrying Two vampire that looked exactly the same ,two petites blondes with colorful crystals instead of black bat wings. She had already found two exactly like them earlier.

"Obviously it extend to that ,it would make no sens if it wasn't include,and it's a trouble mean seeing the one outside use supernatural power for only one thing,"

Sanae reacted to that stopped digging and ,with a face of someone who was forced to eat something they hate, begged :

"Please,don't tell me you are talking about that game"

" Oh I see that you know about it ." Sanae gasped, about to cry _Does she hate it that much ,I personally find it fun _

"That's right if you ,want to collect the soul out of their temporary vessel you will first have to force the vessels to use power and leak out the aura of the ones trap inside them" Seiga then grinned ant finished "And the only mean to do that outside is by playing Mahjong"

"Nooo... I knew it ,why Mahjong I hate that game"

"What In the Blazing hell do you mean ... ,Mahjong,It"s just a normal game?"Reimu seamed to don't understand How mahjong could have anything to do with it.

"You never played it seriously Right . Or you would have reacted more like that girl there"she was pointing Sanae, "or her" this time she was looking at Sakuya who was slightly smiling.

"Miko what does she mean ,I played it from time,using my power a little I admit ,but that game is nothing special"

"You see ,that is part of the problem ,The Mahjong is an old games ,and even if in most case nothing happen,when some one who got power play it outside the Border ,where magic as nearly disappeared , the power of that person manifest itself ,turning around the law of probabilities to fit the personality and deep wish of its user ,it was a great mean to find promising individual back in the day"

"Really ! that game can do that"

"It is like a ceremony to draw out the interior of the players with each draw, Why do you think they are rules that clearly state that you don't have the right to use special power sometime" the one to say that wasn't me or Seiga but Sakuya, still there since we started talking about Mahjong

"I didn't knew ,So we will have to find and then play mahjong against the one who are inhabited by our friend here , I don't think we will end it before next year"

"You maybe right about that but do not worry ,every one of them should actively play mahjong,that game tend to attract those with power"

"At least it will help a little,and it shouldn't be to hard to draw the maximum out of outside people"

Sanae the intervene "Don't underestimate that game ,our the people outside ,it's not for nothing that I don't like playing it even if I love the Kanako-Sama once said ''Mahjong is like a 4Player free for all Danmaku battle ,and they are all using spell-cards at the same time'',and I tend to agree with that"

Every one looked at her ,all with different expression ,some agreeing like me ,some disbelieving , and the witch her was ecstatic , I could literally here here desire to play before she said it

"Genial,I want to try that ,4player free for all Danmaku battle~ze"and she was sincere when she said it.

"Genial for mad person like you ,I hate it when I have to pay even so I didn't get hit directly"

"It's easy just don't let them hit at all~ze"

"As if it was that easy,I never saw someone never paying at all on the long run"

"Okay, okay,... we understand ,It'll clearly be harsh ,but we must first end the gathering of every one,and we Must do it Fast remember?" Reimu was visibly tired of all this"So every one get back to work .Seiga ,where is that Yoshika ?she would be useful here"

"She was here not long ago but I sent her back at the Mausoleum with Tojiko to find something you will need"I had a hunch of what it may be but decided that I should get back to the task ,and while Reimu seemed irritated with the secrecy of my fellow hermits she judged it more important to finish the work at hand.

"I understand , we will see that latter but now we need to work" adding the act to the word Reimu got back on the other side of the rubble to dig out some of the remaining bodies

I then saw Seiga go through the ceiling, probably going to search under the ruin of the Manor and I shrugged _It'll be a long work but It will make for a good work-out._

…...

The rest of the project was uneventful ,although it took 3 hours to finish and at least gather all the corps under the shrine . They where all Lying there in the extension of the Senkai that was under the Hakurei Shrine that we had some hard time to find because of the unusual behavior of our shape-shifting dojo

In fact the Senkai seemed to be stuck in real space since Sakuya had gone through the ceiling and was now definitively extending under all that part of Gensokyo ,making giant maze under it.

"...ahhh.. I am so tired ,how many do we have~ze?" Marisa was exhausted

"Seventy I believe ,I am not sure because of some fairy that may not count" So was Sanae who was lying next to the the bodies of her Goddesses

"If it wasn't for the circumstance I would say it was a good work out" Sakuya was still totally fine in spite of the three hours of forced digging and walking with body on her arm

" Yes ,it was good practice,but I didn't knew that a ghost could weigh that much,I will have to force Yuyuko-Sama to diet "and Youmu looked has fine has her

"We had some unusual guess too, It's like every one that we had to fight since Remilia's Red sky was there apart from us"

"And even some that we fought before~ze?" Marisa added " What were those two doing there anyway~ze?"

" I don't know ,surely planing something bad like the last time ,they didn't have the time thought , but I am more concerned about those that one here" she pointed a four identical bodies that where resting in the center of the place.

"You mean Flandre right,It also disturbed me very much , it would seem that in the confusion she used her [Four of a Kind]" Sakuya was visibly worried.

"And the four were struck at the same time ?" Sanae seemed to be in a day were she was questioning every thing, was it an after-effect of the shock of having lost her Goddesses. " How is that possible?"

I choose that time to intervene "She was at the center of everything so her using a spell card to try fleeing the explosion and getting struck instantly on her four incarnation isn't much a stretch, she is mentally unstable so I can easily see her soul split up in four parts,and I'm afraid that's mean you will have to fight four Flandre"

That seemed to convince everyone,and maybe scar them a little at the idea, and with Seiga and Yoshika coming back we followed on the next matter

"Here you five take this ,you will need it" Seiga said while Yoshika gave the bag full of strange Crystal orbs._ So I was right she is giving those 'soul collector' ,it's true that's they'll need it outside,Reimu might be able to do without tank to her Yin-yang orbs but not the others and it'll be easier with that._

They took it and looked at them strangely before Youmu asked "What are those? And how do we use them?"

"They are 'soul collector' ,they can capture a soul when it got out of a body. We made them during our quest based on exorcist spell and item" Seiga said

"Has for how they work don't bother about how, you just have to take them with you for your match they will capture the leaking soul automatically, and you can even talk with the soul inside afterward if you want to ask them something," I continued

"Reimu will use her Yin-yang orb to send them back one by one and you will open those crystal and put the soul back in their body once they are here ,right?" Youmu had understood the principle ,and the other too for what I could see

"I don't even want to know why you had those thing and what for you use them but thank it will help us greatly" Reimu thanked us ,a little disturbed by the possible use of the 'soul collector'.

"So with this we got everything that we need so we should go now?" Sakuya said, tying her pouch of orb to her belt.

"Yes we should, opening the Border will take me some time but not too much"

We then took a ladder that we had set a little earlier and got out straight in the entrance of the Hakurei shrine

Reimu ,who was the first to climb, was already inside the shrine opening the Border when I got out.

"I come from outside so I know how thing are there ,you will have to follow me" Sanae was talking to the other and stating the obvious

I entered the shrine and got near Reimu to look at what she was doing. _I don't understand at all how she is doing that even so I had an interesting life, those Hakurei're really something_

I was joined by the girl and Seiga and we patiently waited for Reimu to finished the spell

When she finished the Yin-yang orb splintered in two and a white portal opened on the wall before her

"It was easier than I though~ze" said Marisa

"It doesn't have to be flashy to be hard, and believe me that one is hard , that why I needed the sunset to help me" answer Reimu ,not liking her work not to be valued

"I was just teasing you Reimu ,every one is ready we're just wanting your cue~ze"

"Ok ,I believe every thing is alright,I just hope nothing will happen while we are not here , I saw some fairy starting to come back so it should be alright, " She then turned at me " Miko ,I am counting on you to do the work here remember?"

"I will do it don't worry ,and my mate here will help me for the other matter"

"I hope" ,she then got back to the other girls who were waiting "we can go now ,ready to dive out?"

"Yep~ze" ,"Aye", "Ready" "After you"

"In that case,.Let's go" Reimu shout before sinking in the gap of white light followed by the other

The portal she made in the Border closed after them.

"Look like you will be a shrine maiden for some time Miko" Seiga said mockingly

"Yeah... Some time in fact , and you will do a perfect guard for that underground Sun"

"What...?"

* * *

(Sanae POV)

When we got out of the Border we were in the forest near an abandoned shrines that look like the Hakurei shrine .There was a little road going down the hill to a town in the valley under the setting sun ,the typical postcard of themselves Japanese's countryside.

I was back in the outside word,without fantasy other than strange mahjong player. And I hated playing mahjong.

But for the good of the two world I had to play it.

_Why do I have to do that again? _

If not for Kanako-sama and Suwako-sama I wouldn't have done hit. Truth to be told I probably wouldn't have to do it in the first place.

"So now that we are outside where do we go? How will we find those strong mahjong player that have Youkai in them?" Youmu was really restless

"I suppose we should go in town first to know where we are,"Reimu answered with the only choice we had

"Damn... Walking again ,we must have done only that today ~ze"

"And it'll take some time, there is almost no magic here so we can't use our power~ze"

"Yeah welcome to the Outside word , no flying here ,we will have to walk, but you are wrong we can use our power , but only while playing mahjong ,that game is the only thing that make supernatural power come out ,it's like an old ritual?remember?"_A nerves wrecking old ritual._

"Yeah, I remember ,that's why we'll have to find and play it against strong player ,to force them to their maximum ,to make the Youkai essence inside get completely out but..."Marisa was annoyed,

"Right! it will be a long and hard task ,I can say it without even having started to play,but 'no pain no gain', we have no choice in that matter now" Youmu answered.

"Stop complaining, we've got to reach the town before dark"

On those words we all stopped saying what we were about to say and started walking down the road. Thankfully the road was in good shape, and we where still physically strong despite Marisa's earlier word ,so it didn't too a long time before reaching the little town

And we used that time to check the plans.

And that when I realized we didn't had much of a plan for how to find them ? We knew exactly what to do when we found them and even how to send them back using the duplicate of the yin-yang orb .

We could certainly feel if someone had a Youkaiinside them,even minor like a fairy, after the time we passed near them in Gensokyo, so no need to fight every decent player we cross but we had absolutely no plan to find them.

When we where at the center of the village ,because it was in fact too small to be call town ,I finally said

"Now that I think about it how will we found them?"

"By going where people play Mahjong of course~ze"was Marisa response.

"I know That I mean ,more specifically,there is a lot of people out there you know"

"We will find a mean , don't trouble you about it, fate will show us the road,"Reimu said

"I can already say that fate is saying should go elsewhere tonight,that town is a farmer-town, apart from the station it's exactly like the Human village in Gensokyo, there is nothing here,no place to play that annoying game "_Maybe the two village where one at first_

While they were people here they where all too old , and looking too weak to be house even a fairy,I look at the other to see if they were OK and said "I don't feel any power at all in here"

"Me neither(~ze)" said the four at the same time"and then Reimu "So where are we? ,if we are to go somewhere else we should at least know our general location"

Wait here I am more familiar with outside it'll be easier form me to find our location" I declared before going to the Station,the only sign we were Really outside.

…...

I came back after some time with the information needed

"So from what I saw on that panel over there, we are just between the prefecture of Nagano and Yamanashi. where do we start?"

I then saw a very strange thing ,the four of them where grinning and nodded ,they where all thinking the same thing . Sakuya was the one to say it like that right was hers "Yamanashi ,I like that name, it ring like a personal revenge ,even if the writing isn't the same" I immediately understood what she was talking about and smiled.

"So it'll be Yamanashi then,The trains' station is just there ,follow me."

" Train station , like the thing you tried to build between the village and the shrine?" Reimu didn't seem to like the idea

" Yeah they're pretty common out there even I took some when we where on the outside" Sakuya said

" Ah ,that right ,you come from the outside too ,I had totally forgotten it'll help me"

" How did you believe I got all that money from the outside"

" From Gensokyo of course , we use the same money"

" Not exactly ,the money we use inside is outdated"

" Never knew ,how do you see the difference"

" You see they're..." We were stop in our discussion by the growl of on impatient Reimu and I saw they were glaring at us.

"Sorry to interrupt your little talk ,but I would like to be on the place before it's to late so can we go now?"

"Sorry, I got caught up devising technical thing.

"Sorry .You all got your Identities cards right?"

"Yes," They all said

As strange as it can get ,Yukari had one day decided to give each resident an identity card valid even outside the Border ,I never knew how she did it but I won't complain,We would have been caught in no time without them.

"Good ,now follow me we will buy the ticket and go in the train,.We will go out at the first main town we cross,it should be my home town in fact .At least I will be a little familiar with the surrounding"

I bough the ticket for the five of us and we got in without much trouble apart for Youmu wariness at the new mode of transportation_ .At least they will be mahjong parlor in the main city._

* * *

At the same time ,In an office in Tokyo a young woman heard her cellphone ringing (... Kanashimu nante tsukareru dake yo nani mo kanjizu sugoseba ii no)

"Hello"

"Hello ,you always pick up at the same time ,do you wait a certain part of the song?"

"Ala, ala...Is it you Hanata? Your annual report I presume"

"Yes ,you're right, but this time it's a bit different"

"And how so?"

" Don't feign ignorance you perfectly know what I mean ,It's for next year ,you should ready everything"

"Ay Ay ,I will get every thing ready .where are they headed?"

"The home place of the one with green hair, I will ready their transport but for the other things I can't do anything. It'll will work Right?"

"Don't worries they know what they are doing ,we just have to guide them on the right track if they can't do it themselves ,It'll just take me some day to ready the school registration ,one week at most"

"OK ,...,they took 10 years to come I guess we can still some month, but how did you knew they would come the same day?"

"I didn't, I just suppose that the world would follow this logic ,I have to start working on the rule for next year now,good night"

The young woman in the office hung up " Good thing that Yukarin made those papers for every one some time ago, it'll really help us"

Then turning to look at the windows" Ufufu...The 71st National Mahjong Tournament will be a fun one to watch"

* * *

(At that time inside the head of a third year middle-schoolgirl in Nagano )

"_So they choose to go the other way?"_

"_Yeah I felt the same thing ,look like we will be stuck in here for some time again"_

"_At least they are here now .We're here since ten years now ,day for day"_

"_You were counting them? Even while sleeping?"_

"_Nothing else to do,you said we couldn't take control of her when she is sleeping anymore after what happened with her sister and that girl"_

"_If one of us do it the little one here will want to do it ,and that won't end well"_

"_She may be only a fourth of her whole being but she is still scary"_

"_The vessel is a scary one too, being able to contain all of us without breaking"_

"_And she got a good compatibility with us, but I wonder when she will go back to mahjong, the girls won't find us if she doesn't play"_

"_She will go back to play eventually,she got too much raw power ,talent and skill to not play we just have to wait"_

"_And what do we do while waiting?"_

" _The same thing we deed for the past Ten years sleeping ,and waking up for time to time to check on thing, Good-night"_

"...z-z-z...good...night...z-z.."

* * *

End of Chapter 1

Thank for reading my work even so it's far from a masterpiece

Please R&R

Next time will be Reimu and co starting to go High-school for the mahjong tournament,at least a part of the prefecture's mahjong tournament for the Touhou cast and the appearance of the main Saki cast as central character .So, look forward.


	3. Chapter 2: Linking

After some wait due to my exam, here is the second chapter

But before reading you have to know one thing.

You surely saw that I use "_Italic"_ for what the character think at the time. From this chapter on "(Parentheses)"will be use for what Happen inside the Saki cast

Now that you know what you should here is the story:

* * *

**Missing Power in Strict Sens **

Chapter 2:Linking

or

"How to learn that when traveling between world, there is always someone waiting you on the other side."

(Sanae POV)

The train finally arrived in town , and seeing the pale face of Youmu it was almost too late.

When we got out of the station I had the proof, if still needed ,that Reimu ,Marisa and Youmu had never saw a modern city .

Their expressions were priceless, a mixed of stupefaction,disgust and interest. It was a small town for Japan but it still had those hideous building , even if they were fairly short,It was clearly the bigger city they had ever saw.

Despite everything that was strange for them The impact didn't last long and we immediately came back to business. _They were born in a phantasmagorical world they must be used to deal with 'strange thing they never saw before._

"Sanae ,you come from around here right? Don't you know where we could start? Because I don't see anything familiar~ze."

"Hum...Now that I think about it, my old school is nearby . Maybe I should ask my old friend if she know about some strong players."

"Yes ! You should do that"Sakuya said denoted" Do your friend know mahjong?"

"I don't think so, but like you Marisa said we ought to start somewhere ."

"We will see that latter , we must first find a place to stay ,even if they're someone who we are looking for in the surrounding area we couldn't deal with them tonight it's to late and we are all too tired." Reimu stepped in.

She was right ,everyone looked about to drop, and the people in the street were looking at us strangely;_oh right the clothes ,Youmu is fine her phantom self can be confuse with smoke, and I am not that eccentric but a 'typical shrine maiden' ,a 'maid with knives' and a 'western magical girl' together at night in the middle of the town is in-fact strange here._

"Why is every one looking at us with strange eyes~ze?" asked Marisa.

I was about to answer when some one in a car that had stop just in front of us did it.

"That must be because of what you are wearing misses, it may be normal where you come from but here it look like a strange hobby."

"And who are you? You seem to know that we don't come from here ,and maybe even where we came from." Reimu said, as sharp as ever since the start of this Incident.

"Sorry ,that was rude of me,I am just a taxi driver employed to take you to your lodging,and I don't know were you came from just that it's somewhere I know."

"What are you saying ,we didn't call a taxi"I retorted ,then looking the others." Did one of you did it?"

"I don't even know what is a Taxi."Reimu said.

"Me neither~ze.","nor do I." answered Marisa and Youmu.

"Don't look at me ,I do know what is a Taxi but not how to call one if it isn't in the street."

"Yeah,sure." I then turned to the driver"You see you must have made a mistake."

" 'A red and white shrine maiden, a blue and white shrine maiden, a maid, a magician girl and a short girl in dark-green with short white hair just in front of the station looking like they are lost', that's what my client said."

_It's our exact description._

"If it wasn't you if must have been someone who know you. And she already paid so it's your choice." The man went on.

"We're searching a lodgement a that person offered one so why not." Sakuya said opening the door of the car.

"Wait,isn't it too easy,It could be a trap."Youmu spoke , visibly more distrusting of the car that of the driver .

"I don't think ,to get our descriptions quickly it must have been someone who was waiting us, and the only one who could are the one we're trying to find."

Apparently persuaded ,Youmu got in the car followed by the rest of us,we then closed the door and put on our belt.

"You did the good choice I think .Now, welcome in Hokuto ,in the Yamanashi prefecture ; I wish you to find what you are seeking" The driver said happily before starting the car, "I will now drive you to your temporal residence missises."

_Believe me Mister you really wish we find it._

* * *

(Youmu POV)

I never was someone sickly ,or easily afraid but I really didn't like the transport mean that we were using since we were outside ,being that train we were in earlier or the car that I were In at the time.

And it wasn't only the transport either , I didn't Like the city too was far to bright for my liking and there was too much people even so we were already far enough in the night.

Basically ,I didn't like being out ,and it was physical.

"Youmu ,are you alright? Your really pale ,are you ill?" asked Reimu.

"... look like it... I don't seem to get use to the outside word as quickly as you all."

" It maybe because you're not fully human" Sakuya tried finding a reason.

"Or maybe just plain motion sickness ,some person get that when they don't travel on their feet."

Sanae had a more outsider justification to my illness.

"I think it maybe both ...I do feel sicker inside the car than outside ….but ….even when we got out earlier I didn't feel alright … but it was bearable"I couldn't seem to speak without making pause to breathe.

"So the fastest and oldest member of our team can't handle sitting while moving~ze?" Marisa was a lot less concern than the other by my health " I love the irony~ze."

_Why don't you take my place ,you'll see then if it's fun._

" Stop mocking her Marisa , It'll be really troublesome If one of us is to sick to help."Reimu said angry.

It's that moment that the driver choose to talk. "Are you ill miss? Motion-sickness?"

"Maybe ,but ... I will be alright … and it isn't only that it seem ...,I feel bad seem we came here"I manage to answered. _I really feel bad in fact but It'll surly be alright once we arrive._

"You really don't look alright, you should take those pile and close your eyes till we arrive at your lodgement."

"Why close my eyes? And what are those pile for." I had really bad experience with pile in the recent past ,and I didn't quiet trust him yet.

The one to answer was Sanae "Closing your eyes is for your Motion sickness ,it's cause by the mismatch between what you feel and what you see ,your sens are just too sharp and register too much things that don't mach at the same time."

"I see ,and the piles?" I reintroduced my question .

"Lets see." She took the flask and read what was written on it " ah ,yes it could bit that too ,thank you sir"She then gave it to me. "you should take one,I am sure you'll feel better after some sleep if you take it"

_I still don't have my answer and I won't take it before knowing ,I learn that the arch way with Eirin._

"So?"

"It's a medic that people who travel a lot take , it reduce the stress due to the change of atmosphere." She finally explicated .

I opened the flask and looked at the piles again a little before taking one .

_It should be alright I guess_ .

I then closed my eyes and not too long after I felt that bit was at least true.

"By the way ,mister." Sanae voice seems troubled "Were are we heading ?I seem to remember that this is the road to Fushigi All Girl Academy."

"Your right miss it's the same road ,you seem to know the town a little miss."

" Yeah a little. But you said the same road ,there is only one other place on that road that i can think of and if it didn't change from the last 2 year their as never been anyone their." She was more and more restless.

_What could be that bad for her to sound so desperate._

"Ah ,so you were here to years ago that why you seemed to know more that your friends about the place." The driver sounded impressed ."Once more you are right . It didn't change for the last two year, the place that I was asked to take you to Is the ,till today at least , empty pension of Touhou 2,affiliated to the Fushigi Academy."

"WHAT !?" I couldn't represses the scream ,but still managed to remain eyes closed_ so .That was why Sanae seemed restless. _"A school affiliated pension? We didn't come here for this." _I am more than 60 years old after all ._

"It look like someone is planing us to go ,maybe a clue about what to do."Reimu said, not as phased as me. "After all Seiga did say it was possible that one of them manage to temporary control is vessel." She continued quieter so that the driver couldn't listen to what she said.

"I do remember ,that but should we really go?"I asked.

"We need a lodgement ,and we aren't forced to go."Sakuya seemed alright with it too.

"um...I can't help but think that we will end up going no matter what," I emphasized "But you are right we just got out tonight and someone seem to already know that we are here , and likely what for so we should at least try."

"'urk'... you are right but still , school ,I never went to one and I was happy about it~ze"

"So you all think someone is saying us that the strong player will likely be at school?"Sanae asked ,Likely praying Suwako or Kanako that we would say no .

"Yes" we all agreed and so her prayer wasn't heard ,the two goddesses trapped in the body of a Mahjong player .

"But why 'Touhou 2' is there a 'Touhou 1?" I asked.

" It seem there is a 'Touhou 1' in the prefecture of Nagano ,affiliated to Tsuruga Academy if I remember" the Driver answered "In the same state as the '2' if I believe what people say."

"How do you know that? It does seem basic knowledge ,even for a driver." Sanae inquired .

"A driver learn a lot when listening to is client talking"the driver said proudly."

"And by the way if you are seeking strong mahjong player and someone is hinting you to go to school for that maybe you should try the inter-high."_He heard that?_

The car finally stopped .

"Here we are ,they told me that the keys were under your symbol ,don't know what it mean but good luck."

We got out of the car the driver bid us farewell and we were there ,in what would be our home for some time .

"What did he mean by Inter high?"Reimu was the first too speak ,seeking certainly useful information.

"He meant the National Mahjong tournament ,where the strongest High-school Mahjong of each prefecture go in team and in individual to fight each other , I can't believe I didn't think about that, they'll even be some of the stronger pro commentating."

"I can't believe it either .There is a gathering of our possibles targets and you didn't remember it?"

"Yeah truly ,but thank to that man we know what to do now ." I followed.

" I still got a bad felling about this, when Is that tournament?" Sakuya chained up.

"That's the problem ,it's in the middle of summer ,and there are individual and team's prefectural qualifier at the end of spring ." Sanae was disheartened and I could understand why"Only one team of five players and tree individual player per prefecture are qualified."

We were all silent after hearing that information _.Summer ,that mean we will be here for at least 6 month._

"So this mission will really be a long run , ~ze" Marisa concluded.

"It seem so... we should try looking the key" Sakuya changed the subject.

" Our symbol he said,what could he mean"Sanae asked,happy to forget the mahjong for some time.

We looked around the house and finally found it .

"Now it's clear, we were really guided here by someone who come from Gensokyo?" Reimu point out.

the Keys where at the right wedge of the wall in a dissimulated hole.

"Yeah ,and one who have a certain humor~ze"

It was obvious,because the hole was dissimulated by 'our symbol'.

The base of the wall was covered by hat and other hair ornament graved in the wood . at the place we found

"And we have here a 'Big red ribbon' a 'Snake and Frog' hair ornament a 'Maid headband' a 'Black headband' and a 'Magician hat next to each other" I listed.

"I have to admit that she is right every one in Gensokyo have one so they are technically our symbol"Sakuya resumed.

" Who do you think made that?"Sanae asked .

_I must admit that I am asking myself the same question._

"Don't know ,we will surely find out at the tournament," Reimu shrugged it of "shall we enter and see now."

We then entered the pension and decided to explored our new house.

The inside was another proof that some one that was waiting for us to come here.

The entrance looked like the one of the Moriya shrine. It lead to main room who was a little like Marisa's own if only shorter and with the 'modern '.From the we had four door ;

The first one leaded to a bathroom ,the only piece in the Pension that wasn't inspired by one of Gensokyo place.

The second, at is left leaded the kitchen ,which was clearly borrowed from the Scarlet Devil Manor,the wall being painted in various tone of red Red .

"_At least we know who will make the dinner tonight" _was what I though when I saw it ,and by looking at the others I knew I was right .

The third ,on the opposite side ,leaded us to a traditional japanese's room ,like the one in the Hakurei shrine,with a mahjong set on the table at the center.

" We know now where we will practice when we aren't at school"Said Reimu.

" You're right we do need practice ,I am a little rusty because I didn't play much since we are in Gensokyo"Sakuya stated.

"Yeah... about that... I do know the rules but I never did really play it~ze" Marisa confessed .

"What ?..." Sanae was rather unhappy "And how did you intended to play against Youkai powered player?"

"Like always , Try and See ,with a bit of luck ,I learn quickly you know?"Marisa said truthfully.

"Yeah ...right...as if it would suffice?"Sanae what displeased with the answer.

"Whatever ,she will have time to learn .We'll all have in-fact ,we have till spring remember?"

I intervened to calm them and prevent the oncoming dispute ,and my oncoming headache.

"She is right ,shall we see the last door now I suppose our bedroom are there" Reimu end it.

We get out of the practice room and opened last door.

What I saw Behind made me at the same time smile and cry.

It was a court , The exact replica of the Hakogyokurou's one,the cherry blossom was even nearly of the same shape.

_It look like that someone though about me .It may not be so bad after all, I can even see the sky more clearly here._

On the side of the garden were only five door for what we supposed were five bedroom ,three on the wall before us and one on each of the sides wall .

"So how do we choose who sleep it which room?"Sakuya asked?

" I don't think we chose ~ze?" Marisa shout from the other side of the garden where she ad immediately ran after we entered the garden ?

"Look" she pointed the upside of the rightmost door ?" Our symbol are on there too?"

We all looked for the door with our symbol on it and in front of it.

Mine was the one of the left wall . I tried opening the door but it was close ?

"How do we open the door? Mine is closed " I asked why looking the door ?

"Mine was too, look behind your headband ,the key should be there" Reimu answered , opening her door

"My headband_..._?" I then looked at the upside of the door . _Ah ,she mean the symbol ,I should have though about it ?_

" whoa... what is That?"I was extending my hand to seek the key when I heard Reimu babbled.

"what's the... WAA cool ~daze." Exclaimed Marisa in the room next too her .

"Okay … now it's creepy" Chained up Sanae.

"What do you mean?" I was confused.

"You should look the inside of your room you'll understand" Sakuya said ,not as disturbed as the other.

I quickly took the key and turned the locket ,when I saw the inside effectively under stand.

"... Sanae when was that pension built?" The inside of my room was the a good copy of my own in Gensokyo.

"Hum ...Nine years ago I think... , I suppose that mean yours is the same too" Sanae answered from the entrance of the door next mine.

"If you mean by that that It look like I came back to the Hakugyokurou,yes it is . Do you realize what it's mean?"I answered back talking loud enough so that everyone could here me.

"It's mean that at least nine years ago ,when Sakuya and Sanae weren't even in Gensokyo yet ,someone knew that the five of us would eventually get outside to play mahjong" Reimu answered.

"Now that I think about it ,this Pension is like a patchwork of our respective house back home." Sakuya stated

"Exactly … I don't even want to know what that entailed." Reimu was frowning heavily and massaging her temps .

"I don't know either. But don't think too hard about it Reimu, You'll get a headache again~ze"Marisa ,her, seemed as carefree as always.

"You're right."Reimu answered.

I don't think any off us will ever admit it but at that moment ,Reimu ,Sakuya ,Sanae and I were all really gratefull that Marisa came .

"Hah-aha ...I guess you're right Marisa ,for the Moment we should just eat and sleep ,I don't think I'll be awake for very long" Reimu was smiling at her .

"We will cross that bridge when it'll come to it I guess... I'll start making the dinner you should all start readying your room for the night, I'll call you when 'it's ready" Sakuya said going back to the kitchen.

"Good idea"

"Ay"

"OK"

"Understood"

And with that the event of the day came to an end. I got in my new room to explore the details of the resemblance.

* * *

(Marisa POV)

"Tsumo ,Mentanpin,Sanshoku,...no ura-dora Haneman; 3000/6000, ~ze."

"Understood."

"And I was in a good tempai."

"Rah... Marisa... And it had to be when I am dealer ."

"He he ,I had to win at least a little~ze" It was indeed the last hand of that training session and the first one that I won.

"So the finial score are 1st Youmu again with 31700 then me with 27400 ,Marisa with that last hand take the third place with 20800 and the last is Sanae with 20100."Sakuya stated the score.

"You are too predictable Sanae ,I know it's part of your power ,and you did win largely the last one but you shouldn't always rely on it" Youmu followed.

"I know but … Ha Reimu your back , haw did it go in town?"

We were at the Pension since one week now ,and we where starting to get habituated ,even Youmu who passed most of her time in the garden .

The school would not start before 2 week again so while waiting we were training or patrolling the city hot mahjong spot to see if we could sens ,end so far we had found nothing ,not even a fairy .

"Nothing again ,we will really have to wait the tournament I think." Reimu answered .

_I though so we really are in for till summer at least~ze._

When she entered the training room I saw she was carrying something.

"What are those bag Reimu~ze?"

"Those are a present from our mysterious helpers ,The school uniform and textbook I think ? The director gave them to me with the confirmation of our inscription when I went there on my way back ."

In fact ,because we were unsure if we were really to apply to school ,we had decided that one of us had to go see the Director before coming back here each day. The first had obviously be Sanae who had came back saying that indeed ,the five of us were in the procedure of inscription ,and that strangely we didn't even had to take an exam because of the recommendation of our previous schools.

_How can we be recommended by our previous school ,four out of five of us never did go ,and the fifth dropped out a year ago~ze._

"So this is official now ,We Will go to school" Youmu still was disturbed by the fact.

"Let me look ,I want to see if it fit me ~ze." It was new for me so I was a little exited .

"Do mine fit me this time at least?"Sakuya was still wary about a trouble she had the first morning.

"I don't think , they took it on the same measure that are on the file,and it was likely made by our benefactor."Sanae answered while taking hers .

The first morning when we looked in the locker of our room there was already set of our favorite clothes ,an other proof that our benefactor knew us well, and other more classic .But due to Sakuya current trouble with her body she had to retouch them to fit her ,The clothes being made for her before the accident.

I also took mine and looked at the design . It was composed of a white shirt with and a black skirt completed with a black necktie and a black jacket . _T he color won't change me much~ze._

" Can I try it on now? I want to see how I look in it~ze."

"Of course ,we should all do it to get habituated." Sanae answered.

We all got to our room to get change .

I put my spares ones in the wardrobes the book on the desk ._They're not magic book but at least I 'll have something to read_ .

I then but on the uniform ant got back in the main room.

The sight of the five of us wearing a uniform was a strange one ,but it was the proof that this time we should really work together.

"We look really good like that~ze,but why does our necktie aren't of the same colors?"

"Oh ! That because we aren't all in the same year it seam."Answered Sanae,more knowledgeable than us on the subject .

"And what year are we in?" Reimu asked .

"Let's see Red is for 3rd year black for Second years and green for first year." Listed Sanae.

"So that mean that I will be a third year,You three Second year ,and Youmu 1st year." Resumed Sakuya

"Why Am I a 1st year I am older than any of you is" Youmu didn't like the idea of being threaten as our younger.

"Silly Youmu, that's obviously because you look younger~ze." I couldn't suppress the urge to tease her.

"Sakuya look even younger than me and she is a 3rd year ,I understand that going to school is capital to carry out our mission, but why are their doing me that?"

"Surly to tease you like Marisa just did, you know that our 'friends' love that sort of thing." Reimu Calmly answered.

"And the one who did that surly still don't know about my body's change ,our I would have been put in the same class as you." Sakuya followed.

"I know but I don't like the idea, when I found the responsible he will pay dearly" Youmu was still angered but she had understood our point.

"Now that the subject is closed ,should we go back to training ? I still didn't digest losing to you Marisa."

Sanae looked at me.

" Aw, I wanted to read those book,some of them could be interesting." I pouted "And I believed you hated that game."

"I hate it , but I have to get better if I want to save Kanako-sama and Suwako-sama ,and I hate loosing even more." Sanae opened the sliding door to the training room. "Now come you're the one who need the most training."

"Ouch!" She was right ,as much as I didn't like it ."...ok~ze" I entered the training room.

" Don't worry Marisa ,you'll have plenty have time to read those damn book." Sanae said ,not so happy about the idea.

Reimu and Youmu sat at the table and we resumed the training .

_What's sort of player will we have to play to train that hard?_

…

Two weeks later, the school started .Sanae ,Reimu and I were in the same class .Youmu being in 1st year was rather unhappy to be alone in the middle of "annoying kids" .

From what I heard Sakuya was treat like a doll in her class at first before showing her discomfort rather forcefully , and we giggled the whole day we learned about it because of that .

Fushigi Academy was a high standard all girl school ,and like Sanae had said we had to read those" damn book",and it look like I was the only one who enjoyed it a little .

As for the mahjong ,after having rebuild the club that had disappeared some years ago and named Sakuya captain, we started training in the club room every day in addition of the training at the Pension and were all steadily getting better ,even I,though I was still the weakest of all , and were all polishing our specials skill.

It was also confirmed that I was really suited to the title " Ordinary Witch" as much as the other lived up to their title . Miko had been right on that " the power manifest itself ,turning around the law of probabilities to fit the personality and deep wish of its user".

_What sort of Powers will we have to face?_

_..._

[Now that I already saw it, thinking that was really stupid ,they were possessed by the stronger being that I know of and surviving fine , no matter what power it was it would have been hard .Even now I can't believe how hard it has been for the stronger of them]

* * *

_(Saki's Youkai POV)_

It had been four month since we had felt Reimu and the other crossing the Border after 10 year of waiting . Teen year and four-month since we had found ourselves shoved inside the Body of a Human girl ,eight passed without even being able to possessed her at night due to an error made by a certain mentally disturb vampire's quarter soul .

The day they crossed ,Reimu&co had gone the opposite way from here, leaving us to wait some time again ; there were other Youkai after all so we knew we would surely have .

But there was a major problem preventing us for going out even if they had found us.

After some event with her family ,the girl had stop playing mahjong ,and ,from what Yukari had said it was the only mean for us to get out. Seeing who we had here ,inside the head of that girl ,that was hard to believe.

In short we had :

-Yakumo Yukari ,the Youkai of Boundaries and the one who had determined our state when we arrived ten years ago. She was the more knowledgeable of us about that side of the world and seem to make links between or current state and some other think she felt from inside Gensokyo the year we arrived.

_(I don't even want to know what she is thinking with that smile._ )

-Kazami Yuuka ,the Flower's Youkai who had a direct access to the border of dream even here ,inside the head of a human .

_(How is she going in the border of dream when we are soul inside the head of someone?) _

"It's not really the border of dream but more the border of her dream" had been Yuuka explanation as to why she could only acceded to a replica of Mugenkan .Still ,it was really useful, the inside of the head of a human being a little chaotic at time.

-Komeji Koishi , the Youkai girl who had mastery over the subconscious .She found it really strange and exiting to be literally 'inside' the subconscious of someone and had been the first understanding how to take control of the girl during her sleep,even before Yukari.

-Scarlet Flandre ,the one that had initiate the mess that we were in, and for what we understood most of the power older in Gensokyo with us. And then,as if it was not enough create an incident with the girl's family that prevented us for going out again. And it was only a quarter of the original.

-And last but not least I ,Hinamawari Tenshi , a Celestial that had gone to the birthday of the vampire because she was bored and now regretted it greatly.

The worst thing was that we couldn't even blame Reimu&co for taking ten frigging years to come .

For them it must have been only some hours between the moment we 'lost consciousness' and the moment they crossed the Border , but due to some bad interaction of power our soul had come back ten years in the past when crossing it, making us wait ,prisoner of the time in top of locked inside the body of a Human girl.

An other strange thing was the simple fact that the girl ,one Miyanaga Saki, was fine being the vessel of the five of us. She didn't knew it but it meant she was extremely powerful by the Human standard.

…

We were in May ,the middle a spring ,and I was bored , deadly Bored : if a soul could die I would have been at that moment.

It was my day of 'guard' and the girl was reading a book on the border of a river .

I was about to fell asleep when I felt it, something that I didn't feel since Saki's sister had moved, the presence of a Youkai soul. It was a lot fainter that with the sister but it was still there .

Saki turn her head in the same direction I felt the Youkai and I saw the one who was possessed, it was a big bossomed pink hair girl who was wearing the same uniform as Saki.

"_What a beautiful girl_." Saki though looking at the pink haired girls. "_That ribbon is our class year's color, It's the one of the first years."_

("Thank for the information Saki,I didn't knew it") I told back even so I knew she couldn't hear me .(_If the hazard work here like in Gensokyo ,the problem we had with Mahjong won't last long._)

"Saki..." The girl turn to who was calling her ."Yo ,let's get a school lunch." It was her useless childhood friend. (_What was his name?)_

"Kyou-chan." Saki answered .

(_Ha, that's right Kyotarou Suga, I don't even believe I could remember it with just his surname ,I must really be bored. )_

…

("Tenshi... is something happening , I felt a familiar feeling earlier, that what woke me up." Yukari asked still groggy ,she really wasn't a morning person.

"I saw a girl surly possessed with one Youkai earlier so that might be what you felt."

"Surly ,yes , and it is just at the good time. If my hunch is right the story will finally start moving from our side too starting today")She had that smile on her face, the one she wore when everything was going how she wanted even so she didn't plan it.

"Today?that fast? I also think thing will start moving here , but Today is way too fast ,I just saw her passing by"I was astonished at her certitude on the day.

"This is how thing work from my experience. But who was it inside that pink haired girl ?"

"Don't know, like I said it was just a glimpse , but if you're right we will know soon enough."

"Hum... I suppose you're right but I would've like to know." Yukari answered.

" Know what?" A third voice came from behind us I turned around to see who it was while Yukari was still looking at what Saki was doing.

"Oh Yuuka you're also up?" I told her before going back to the thing outside.

"You got a really good timing" Yukari said to her.

Yuuka rose an eyebrow,"Yeah I felt something earlier .but what do you mean Yukari?"

"Just look.")

...

Saki was in the cafeteria ,reading like always, that same boy as earlier was next her eating.

Suddenly, she heard a ringing tone .

"A text message?" Saki asked him looking at his phone vaguely interested.

"no..." The boy answered,munching on is baguette.

"Mahjong? You play mahjong Kyou-chan?

...

("Look Tenshi, I was right."Yukari said ,still bearing that smile.

"So you were talking about that?" Yuuka asked.

"Yep, let's look how where it'll go."Yukari answered.)

...

"I just learned the Yaku so I don't know that much." The boy state ,he then looked at Saki and asked " What do you think about mahjong."

"I hate Mahjong"Saki answered .

(_Yeah, and that the problem.)_

"Eh.. Saki?"The boy had something in mind "You know how to play it don't you?"

("Hehe... If only you knew." Yukari giggled.)

"Sure , I can play but I hate it. I always end up getting my new year's money taken in the family mahjong games."Saki answered embarrassed.

( _That because you don't even try to win and you know it._)

"So there is something stopping Saki from playing. But it'll be preferable if there wasn't." The boy said ,still thinking about something.

("Damn straight!"I exclaimed. )

"What are you plotting on your own?"Saki had a bad felling about this.

"Hum..." the boy was still in his thought process.

He then finished quickly is lunch ,got up and said. "Come with me,we don't have enough player"

"For what?" Saki tilted her head.

Seeing Saki wasn't understanding he completed ."The mahjong club".

He took Saki by the hand and they got out of the building.

…

("I must admit that it look like you're right Yukari , but too think it would come from that useless boy"I remarked , still looking at what was happening.)

Saki was following the boy on the road to the old scold building.

("So the come back of the little miss is for today?" asked Yuuka.

"Yep, the gear are finally starting to turn , it was only a question of time." Yukari answered smiling wildly.

"We will finally be able to use a little power ,it was such a long time." I was also smiling at the perspective.

"I just hope the girl isn't too rusty after 8 year without playing."Yuuka was less optimistic.

"Yeah your right , she won't be able to fuse a lot with our power after all this time"Yukari was considering that possibility.

"Even so she will get to play a lot from now on , her power will reach us more and more with each time she play , I just hope she stop self-restraining." I said still optimist.)

…

Saki was at the first floor of the old building .On the wall was a plate saying 'MAHJONG CLUB'.

The boy stopped in front of the door next to that plate and turned around.

"Welcome, princess." He bowed to Saki with a suspicious smile.

Saki was really disturbed by all this."I already said it.. I hate mahjong."

The boy then opened the door and shout inside "I brought a sucker".

("The only sucker I see here is you young man. "Said Yukari as mockingly as she could. " But … is that the girl you saw earlier Tenshi?"

"Yes,It is .Fate do really work the same everywhere.")

...

In front of Saki was the same girl she saw earlier at the riverside .

"A guest?" the girl asked .

("That aura could it be...?"Yuuka said turning to Yukari.)

"Oh... it's the girl from earlier."Saki was surprised.

("I think so , and she is alone in-there , she must be bored." Yukari answered looking pitifully at the girl. )

"What is it? Do you know each-other?"The boy said .

("You know Yukari ,most of the other must be alone too"Yuuka remarked. )

"You were by the river earlier right?"

("But really to think we would find her here ,what a little world." I said amused.)

"You saw me?"Saki didn't though she was saw.

"If you know each other it'll be easier,"Then pointing at the pink haired girl" Nodoka is the last year middle-school national champion." The boy made the presentation.

("I would expect no less from the one possessed by my Ran."Yukari said proudly)

"Is that good?"Saki asked ,more out of courtesy .

"Of course it.." The boy start

"It's really amazing. "and was cut by a voice coming from behind.

(" Hey ,that aura is..."I sensed someone other from were the voice came.)

"Tadjaaa." A little girl came in jumping ."I brought Taco for lunch.

("Now you have them all Yukari"Yuuka snickered. )

"Tacos again?"The boy said while Nodoka headed toward the back of the room "I'll make tea"

...

("It's good to see Ran and Chen here together ,Fate does really have its way of doing thing."Yukari said.

"'The world is small' was it?"I quoted.

"You said it .but tea hum... it make such a long time .Should I go fetch the little ones to watch the game while taking some ourselves?" Yuuka proposed.

"We'll appreciate greatly" Yukari answered back.

"Why are you so nice today Yuuka ,are you so happy that we will finally have some little action?"I asked surprised at her offer.

"Yes , that may be that."She said while passing through Mugenkan's door.")

...

During our little talk Saki and the other had sat at the table installing the game.

"Where's the president?" The boy asked.

"Sleeping over there"Nodoka answered.

("I knew I had felt another aura apart from those two" I said looking at where I felt the other presence.

"We really found a mine today"Yukari answered with that same smile again.

_Why is she always right?)_

And so we watched Saki ,Nodoka and the two other play while trying to guess who it was inside that club president.

* * *

(Hisa's Youkai POV)

"Thunder ?" we heard a boy voice.

Hisa woke up suddenly

"No way ,"She scratched her forehead" I didn't bring my umbrella"

"It's an evening shower" a voice that should be Nodoka said

"Who's this?" A girl that I didn't reconsigned said .

("I return the question missie, who might you be?" She couldn't here me but I was curious non the less).

Hisa stand up, still a little tired , a went to the table

"Ah! The Student council president! "The unknown girl exclaim.

"Not Student council president , here I am just the club president "Hisa answered

("Urk.. am I dreaming?"I felt something from that girl that was really strange)

"What are you doing here president?" The girl ask

Because I like Mahjong of course" has answer matter of factly

("She wouldn't be the club president otherwise, is that girl a slow?"My soul mate declared)

"So what might be the name of our little guest" Hisa ask while looking at the current game.

"Oh sorry .My name is Miyanaga Saki" She answered while bowing a little

"_Oh that"s is a good hand tanpin ,sanshoku with two side wait . At least 7700 if she manage to win"_

("That in fact is not bad but something tell me it won't end like that" I said.)

Hisa went to the computer to see the score of the day

("What make you say that you think she won't end her hand" my soul mate said

"No? it's just ... that girl feel strongly like us"

"Ah but I couldn't sense who might be inside, are you sure?"

"Yes sure … oh look at her last games score")

"Ron" at that moment we heard Saki voice back at the table.

("See ,she won")

"1000 points please"The Girl announced.

"_Only 1000 point? What happened?"_

(_That's what I wish to know too_.)

Hisa went back quickly behind the girl_ "She drew the 9 man and cut the 6 man,Why would she discard a tanyao sanshoku when the 9 man isn't even risky"_

("I don't get it either , what was that strange girl thinking?"I asked.

"Don't know, maybe she only needed 1000point" answered my soul mate.)

"That's the last hand , I must go now" the girl said in a hurry feeling Hisa's glare at her " Now that the president is up you should have enough player and I must take that book back to the school library." She got up and went of the room.

"What was her score this time?" Hisa asked

("Look like Hisa got the same idea as you" my soul mate said)

"+/-0" Yuki answered" why are you asking?"

"Yeah president it doesn't matter ,Nodoka trashed us tree time with ease like usual so why do you care about Saki's score." Kyoutarou said.

(_That one will never be a good player for sure )_

"Are you really sure Nodoka really trashed everyone?

"You mean the fact that Miyanaga-san got 3 time strait +/-0?" Nodoka tried

"Exactly ,don't you it's strange" Hisa foreshadowed .

"Now that you talk about it..."Yuki said incredulous.

"President don' tell me you think she made it so she got +/-0 each time"

"Nah.. it just dumb luck" the boy said leaning on the table.

"That's right ,Mahjong is a game where luck is an huge factor ,even the best pro win only 30% of the time"Yuki said "And getting +/-0 is a lot harder than winning"

"And she did it 3 time straight" Hisa finished, looking at the door scratching her head "It should be impossible right?"

She then turn to her fellow club member and announced her conclusion "But what if she really had that much of an ability!?"

The thunder cracked like pointing the revelation and the three younger member were left speechless.

"..."

The first one to react was Nodoka who stormed out of the room ,surely trying to find that girl.

"Nodo-chan?"Yuki shout after her.

"Hu uh uh..Let her go,she have to make sure" Hisa giggled.

"You're a meanie president you know that?" Yuki answered pouting.

"It's not that, it's just that if that girl join the club we could probably aim for the National" Hisa answered.

"Heee?" The two remaining member didn't believed what they herd.

…

("Hey Nue ,why do I don't like that girl with the +/-0 ability"I asked my fellow prisoner.

"Don't know Hina .Maybe because +/-0 look a hell lot like a Border..."

"Hummm..."

"And that we already have Chen and Ran here..."

"HUUMMMMM..."

"And that we weren't able to sense who it was inside even so we could sense the other just fine"

"Yeah must be that. We've got a girl with Yukari and at least one other youkai possessing her with us, it can't possibly and well "

"Yeah look like least it look like she will be with us"

"That what is scaring me Nue."

"...well we'll see")

* * *

(Tenshi Pov)

"Miyanaga Saki" There was a shout behind Saki.

"Uh!" Saki stopped walking and looked back .It was the pink-haired girl from earlier.("Yukari ,Your shikigami trailed us" I said half-jokingly

"You broke even three times."She started"Was that on purpose?"

"I always tend to play that way"

"Wha..."Nodoka couldn't find her word "Why do you play that way...?"

"Because of playing Mahjong with my Family"

("That what you believe little girl, but this isn't the only reason"I said smiling.

"You know that she would have done it even without Yukari right?" Yuuka said , half-asking

"Humm , Your Right she could have done it"Yukari answered with that damned smile

"What?"

"And with a family like hers ,every one would and up playing strangely" Koishi added

"And you're the one saying that Koishi... I've got no choice but to believe now" That answer earned me a pout from her.)

"One more Time...Let me play with you just one more game" Nodoka pleaded at Saki.

(_That Nodoka seem to be wanting strong opponent)_

"I'm sorry"Saki answered "I just don't like mahjong."

Nodaka was really shocked at Saki answer.

_("It won't be long before you stop saying that Saki,you feel it yourself")_

End of Chapter 2

* * *

Thank for Reading my work and feel free to review

I won't tell what'll happen next time because I might add thing and don't meet the point I wanted like this time.


	4. Chapter 3: Invitation

The mahjong'll start in this chapter so you have to take note d=dot,c=character/moonrune,b=bamboo,W=west,N=north,E=east,S=south;and the name of the dragon are spell fully(Chun/red,Haku/blanc,Hatsu/vert).

Disclaimer: I don't own Saki nor Touhou

* * *

**Missing Power in Strict Sens**

Chapter 3 :Invitation

or

"You just asked a monster to dine with you ?... Don't be surprised when it eat you."

(Nue Pov)

Hisa was wandering around the school ,occasionally greeting other student who reckoned her as the student congress President

But she wasn't wandering aimlessly ,she had a goal ,two to be more exact ,and she had just found the first one . Or to be exact the first one found her.

"Still as popular as ever I see" The voice had come from just behind her.

"Oh ! Mako" Hisa called back to the voice_ .How could I miss her?_

"I heard about it president ," she said getting up from the bench she was on ,bento still in her hand.

" About what ?" Hisa asked ,even if she already knew the answer.

" There is a first year who can manage to break heaven every time isn't it?" she asked tilting her head to Hisa

"Yeah", _And maybe even more than that ._

_(If our guess is right , a lot more than that in fact Hisa)_

"I am guessing Nodoka wasn't amused"

("Yeah nobody like to win against someone who wasn't even playing")

"Even so she didn't lose her pride took quite a beating" Hisa said continuing her road to her other goal ,Mako following her.

…

("Hina , why does she want that freak on her team" I asked my soul mate.

"Isn't it obvious ,she has always wanted to take part to the team tournament but she couldn't until now" she answered with her usual carefree nature.

"I know but she could have found another for her fifth player , I really don't like that one"

"On the contrary ,you should be happy for her , having a team full of Gensokyo resident is a shoes in for the Nationals" Hina retorted always seeing the good point of thing.

" I know ,after ten years of being inside ,I know that at least but... you know it's Yukari"

"Isn't it even better, she is one of the strongest so the girl would really be good, and we aren't sure it's really her"

"Yes , but I can't see who else could it be , and there are other with her" I remarked a little sullen.

"Other who may be as strong" Hina point out

"That exactly why I am saying this girls is bad news" I chained up

"Bad new is always good for Hisa , that why I am so compatible with her." she end the argument.

"Yeah let's pray your right" .We took our focus back to the outside.)

...

Hisa had now found the second and main goal of her little walk , she was just there in the school library .

The girl was apparently looking for a certain book, and Hisa took that opportunity to talk to her .

"What book were you looking for?"

"President!?" the girl was surprised to see her.

"Yo , So what book?" Hisa looked at the library's computer "Oh that one, I have the full set"

and then turning back to the girl " want to borrow them?".

"Is that really ok?" the girl exclaimed joyfully.

"Yes of course ,but only if you can do something for me"

"What? "she asked.

"You'll see follow me" and they took the direction of the old building

Mako approached Hisa and asked discretely " Why being cunning about it?"

"Because I am not sure she would follow to the club room if not" Hisa answered so that the girl didn't here.

"Why?" Mako asked surprised by the answer.

"You'll see" Then Hisa asked loud enough so that the girl heard "Miyanaga-san ,the thing I want is that you play two game of mahjong with us"

"What! Why again?" Saki was genuinely surprised.

(_Was it that hard to guess?)_

"Yes , But think about it only two game and you will have access to the books you wanted as long as you see fit"

"Only two game right" Saki asked two be sure.

"Yes only two ,"

("Hisa you bad liar ,you are planning for far more game for her" I remarked out load , even so she couldn't hear me.

"Yes but , technically she didn't lie , if that girl don't want to join afterward it'll only be two" The one two answer was of course Hina , always the optimist.

"But we both know that people like her will join" I sighed.

Hina giggled "Yes , your right ,it's in their nature ,hihi")

…

When we end our little talk they were already on the door of the club room.

"The one your waiting for is here." Hisa called while opening theatrically the door

Nodoka ,the one Hisa was addressing ,was already sitting on the chair in front of the game table , drinking a tea ,when she saw Saki the both of them looked longingly in each other eyes.

Hisa then called to the only boy in the club "Suga-kun , could you call Yuuki please"

" Ah , yes" He answered ,looking a little surprised to see is childhood friend here again."

"Ah I understand ,That library girl is the +/-0 child" Mako finally caught-on.

"You just noticed?"

(_Once more, was it that hard to understand?)_

Yuuki came from the windows and sat next to Nodoka. Saki sat in front of Yuuki and Mako took the last place , invited by Hisa .

"You won't play President?" asked Yuuki

"Nah, I would win if I played"

"Yeah right" Mako said disbelieving

("You want to observe that Saki game directly so why lying?")

Hisa then explicated the rule of the two game they'll play,namely two renchan with four Aka-Dora to maximize the luck effect, and the game started.

The first game ,for most part ,was a usual one for the club,Yuuki started East and tried to run away with her habitual starting luck before running out of steam, letting the other and particularly Nodoka come back.

In the whole game Saki had only won one hand putting her ahead of her goal by 1000 points (just the cost of a Richie stick) before Mako won with a tsumo putting Saki back below her goal by 5100/6000 point .

The score was now :Yuuki 32600, Saki 24500 ,Nodoka 24200 ,Mako 18700.

And then it came ,the last hand of the first game .

On the seventh turn Saki reached a tempai for a hidden honitsu (W,W,W,1,2,2,3,3,4,6,7,9,9d)with a wait on 5/8dot .

_If she win by Ron this will be 5200 ,exactly what she need to break even._

Then on the same turn Yuuki dealt a 5dot , but strangely Saki did not react .

_Why did she passed on it?_

("I was about to ask you the same question" Hina said "Nue do you know why?"

"Don't know , she didn't see it"I answered still looking)

The turn after Nodoka discard the red 5dot.

(_"Was she waiting for that?")_

But ,once again she didn't move in the slightest. _She passed on the red-one too?_

_(Ha , it wasn't that _"What is that freak thinking , she couldn't have miss that one...)

_Doesn't that girl care about winning at all?_

(_It's just as you said girl _"I said it Hina ,that girl is to strange ,don't taking two win in a row"

"Well maybe , but she must have her reason" Hina said disturbed

"Like what?" I retorted , don't finding any excuse"

"Like...)

"She wouldn't be able to break heaven" Hisa answered our question ,she was apparently having a similar argument with the only boy of the club.

"_If she had won with the 5dot of Yuuki she would also had the bonus point of first finisher ,had she won with the red 5dot she would have won 8000 because of the had value of the Aka-Dora"_she ended in her head .

("Ok , I see , so she really is a freak" I answered.

"You know , sometime I think Hisa can hear us , those precision were like the were destined to us" Hina said , changing the subject .

"Well maybe ,but look ,it's isn't the end what will she do now?")

Nodoka had just declared a Richi, putting 1000 points more on the table.

"Now she has to lower her target by 1000 points"The boy said starting to understand what saw happening.

"To break heaven , she now need to make a hand between 4100 an 5000 points,The only hand that falls in that range is a 2 han 70 fu hand . Hand so far the chances of a 70fu hand showing in or club is of 1/1000" Hisa followed ,explicit the unlikeness of Saki managing.

"A Hand even rarer tan a yakuman"

("I still can't believe they really have more than 1/1000 ratio at yakuman , that already pretty broken" I remarked

"You said it. But with 4/5 member of the club with Youkai inside ,that was something to expect" Hina stated)

"To build a 2 han hand that foundation would be close to impossible" Hisa finished her explanation.

Saki picked a 2b and discarded her 6d

"_So she's folding back" _ seemed to be the general thought.

(_Nie , freak like that don't fold back when there still a way._ )

When she discarded the 7d the next turn the player at the table seem to take it as the sign she had definitively fold .But for us behind Saki we knew she was still going , she had pick up the last 9d , she was still in tempai and had now a way to hit her target but...

_No...?_

_(I said it , A. Freak)_

_This is...!_

"Kan" Saki declared with the last west she had just picked, and time seemed to slow down

_But to win with a 2han 70fu in this condition , what's necessary is not mere luck._

("Yep ,That's High Youkai luck for you" I said with some sarcasm in the voice)

...

She extended her hand to pick the till a the dead wall.

_She would need a luck that call forth miracle._

("Is that a lighting spark in her eyes?"Hina gasped.)

...

And the tile she drew was the 2b the tile she needed to complete her pair.

_Miracle only possible for a Demon or a God._

"Tsumo, Rinshan-Kaihou, 70fu 2Han . 1200/2300Points" Saki declared revealing her hand.

("Or both at the same time" Hina added stating what was surely the truth.)

…

Nobody could believe it ,Particularly Nodoka who had tried to trap her with her Richi. And for a moment no one uttered a word.

The final scores were 31400(+21) for Yuuki ,30200(+/-0) for Saki ,22000(-8) for Nodoka and 16400(-13) for Mako.

…

After some times ,everyone had recovered from the shock ,and they were taking a tea before starting again

("Yep ,They are possessed by Gensokyo's Youkai alright ?"Was what I said at the sight of that.)

"Saki broke even again... that's for time in a row counting yesterday" Yuuki said ,coming back to the table.

But Hisa didn't react she was thinking about something else

"Miyanaga-san ,The objective in Mahjong is victory you know?"

She asked To the girl who was still eating cookies "Huh?.."

"I mean you should try to win next time!" Hisa exclaimed , ecstatic at the possibilities of that one girl.

Saki turned to look a the table and though, before answering without an inch of hesitation :

"I understand"

"What ..'I understand'?.." Yuuki reacted , surprised.

"So she will play for real now?" Mako sighed, most likely felling the headache already coming.

"Winning mean finishing first right?...but ...I can't be fist if I have +/-0 ,do I?" Saki said innocently, breaking the building serious mood .

("Heh?!,Is she stupid?" I react as surprised as every one.)

"...Well... if you consider that you're starting with only 1000 point and the other are starting with 33000each..." Hisa proposed after some thinking

("Yeah , It could work, but I wouldn't like to be the one facing her in those condition" I said , finding that girl stranger each time. )

"If I Broke even under those condition , I guess it would be a victory"Saki acquiesced giving it some thought

"That seems Interesting"Saki ended back to a serious look,Stunning every one.

…

And so ,the Second game started. Everyone was a lot more serious after Saki's claim to be able to win with that strange set up.

The placement of the players also changed ,With Nodoka sitting on the right of Saki and Yuuki on the left, letting Mako in front.

Yuuki was once more the first dealer but just after she discarded her first tile Saki declared "Richi" on her first turn. And on the next turn "Double-richi,Ippatsu ,Tsumo 2000/3900"

("Why, am I not even surprised?" I said , cynic.)

"That"s my signature move" Yuuki exclaimed.

"..." Nodoka was at a lost for word.

"Cheating?"Mako declared , but she was promptly remembered that the table was an automatic one.

_Her luck is carrying over since the last game._

The following and were almost all by Nodoka ,playing a lot more seriously and care fully against an opponent that was so out of her understanding, her winning streak only stopped only when she played into Yuuki's Seven pair on the East third's round third's reprise.

Even Hisa said that she was "playing with all her talent for once"

And so,The game once more resumed in the last hand.

_If this goes on , Saki will lose.._

("If she wasn't some freak I would agree with you , but something tell me that it won't go like that" I said still looking the match.

"Back at Gensokyo, we would say that she still didn't show her 'LAST WORD'." Hina acquiesced.

"Yep ,and those tend to be nasty" I finished ,and I was right Because under Hisa's eyes was shaping something truly nasty)

...

* * *

(Yuuka Pov)

We were now in the last hand of the second game ,and Saki was finally willing to go for the win .

It had taken some time ,but someone compatible with Yukari is sure to take time before getting a little serious and even more when the girl had a dislike for the game.

But that dislike wasn't as strong now,it had nearly disappeared.

_What is that feeling ,I didn't feel like that in a long time_. Saki was eying the pink haired girl .

During that game Nodoka ,I think it was her name, had play a lot more seriously , showing that she was not Ran host for nothing.

("She become stronger when I am near ,so In guess it's to be expect")

Had been Yukari comment about the sudden power up of that girl.

...

Flower had bloomed outside not long ago, and They were about to bloom even more, All that was lacking is a mere Richi stick on the table.

"Richi"

And it came quicker than expected thank to the little runt.

_This feeling,Is it that I want to win?_

(Yes , little flower , You are finally realizing what your are meant to do" I said ,feeling once more my power being drain outside ,mixing with Yukari's and Koichi's , into Saki's raw power, becoming hers.

"Feel good right?" Koishi asked me ,out of her usual shyness.

"Of course , It like I can finally move freely after having been restrained for 8 years"I said , ecstatic.

"Technically , it is exactly that you know."Yukari continue with her smile.

"Guess your right , But it's a pity she isn't using the full power" Tenshi said while maintaining Flandre out of the flow.

"Your turn will come , You're just the less compatible with her out of us four" Yukari said , still thriving of the feeling.

"I know that , is just that I have to restrain her while your taking some good time" Tenshi sulked.

"You know , we aren't fully free , she isn't using her power at her most at all" I complained dreaming of the day She would really go all out.)

"I guess a hand like that is OK today " Saki finally declared ,having end the shaping of her hand.

.

("-Flower Sign 「Unnatural Chrysanthemum's Blooming」-"I declared without noticing ,like it was the normal thing to do.)

.

"Kan" Saki reveled her west Kan and extended her hand to reach out to the dead wall everyone watching her and like they were witnessing the end of the world.

"A West Kan again?" Someone said , before Saki finally withdrew her hand from the dead wall.

She next showed clicked the tile she had picked ,the tile of her hand almost reveling themselves afterward.

"Tsumo , Suuankou"

...

* * *

(Nue Pov)

("EH.. Why did I see flowers just now" I shouted ,blinking to check I wasn't dreaming.

"Ah you saw them too" Hina told , as surprised as I was.

"Geuh... You saw them too , I don't Like That …" I started panicking.

"Why, those flower where pretty" She , look at me ,not understanding what I was implying.

"Hina ,Back at Gensokyo Who would you think of if you saw flower suddenly blooming?" I tried ,to make her see.

"Hmm, I think I would think of ...Geh Yuuka...Even I'd not want to approach her Garden ,and I know I am of pretty optimistic nature" Hina crisped ,finally seeing where I was going.

"So that Freak Most likely got Yukari and Yuuka, with maybe others , squatting her body," I smirked ,having already past the limit of what I could take.

"She seem fine , are you really sure it's Yuuka and Yukari?" Hina asked

"Yes , and that why I said she is a freak,Hisa is a strong one and the two of us is really all she can take" I recalled her.

"hum,.. I know" She said , most likely remembering our awakening inside the body of that girl.)

"I won..?"Saki questioning voice stopped our discussion.

("She didn't knew it after that yakuman?")

"Yeah ,You did great Saki." Answered Hisa.

"And she did it while aiming for +/-0" Mako followed

"That was amazing Saki" Yuuki ended."

("You know what Hina ,You were right , she will perfect for the national"I said ,resigning myself.)

…

Afterward , Nodoka, frustrated out of losing to Saki , run out of the room.

Saki got after her ,but not before Hisa renewed her invitation to join the club ,showing her the club's books collection:

"If you join the mahjong club , you can read them whenever you like!"

"..."

"But you're worried about Nodoka right?"

"..."

"Go ahead , Books won't run away crying"

_(Not like in Gensokyo's libraries)_

… …

The next day Miyanaga Saki came in the Club room and declared : "Can I Join the Mahjong club?"

Hisa smiled and answered "Of course , Your welcome Saki"

"I want to play more with you Nodoka ,And I want to win more In Mahjong" Saki ended her speech .There was none of the hesitation she had the day before in her voices .

("Be happy Hisa , This year you have your team for the Inter-High Tournament" Hisa said,her voice full of joy for our host.

"Yep , a team with more souls than players, full of host to Gensokyan Youkai." I corrected her statement .)

* * *

(Tenshi pov)

A few days had past since the Saki had joined the mahjong club and she was now recalling the past , the time she spent with her sister, and that particular day when their live had change ,not that she was really aware of it.

She opened her eyes ._A dream._

She got half up and found what she had been reading before falling asleep in the school park.

It was a mahjong magazine "Weekly Mahjong Today".She opened it once more to find the page she was at .

It was a page dedicate to the favorite for the tournament , two-time champion and ace of the reigning champion school, Miyanaga Teru. _Onee-chan..._

("Well, at least those one must have had a lot of fun for the past years"I comment.

"I lack her, she was fun to play with"Flandre ,strangely calm since Saki restarted to play

"The fact that she was nearly as strong as Saki and his the host to 4 of us ,was just a good bonus" Yukari adhered.

" Yeah, those were good times" Yuuka sighed.)

_She won as usual._

("I want to see Onee-chan too , It make so long since I could see her"Koishi complained , being remembered of her own sister.

"Me Too , I want to see my Sister" Flandre followed.

"Don't worry , You should be able to see them this year , it'll just take some time" I tried to calm them.

"Time and training ,Saki is still far from being at her best ,and she will need it to make it to the higher spot"Yukari remarked.)

And as if on cue , The call for more training came in the form of a boring boy.

"Saki"

"Ah Kyou-chan"Saki got up and turned to the boy.

"You've been a member for a week now, getting used yo it?" He asked .

"Yeah , it's fun to play with people outside my family... and winning is fun too ...but..."

("Of course , there if nothing more fun than winning little flower" Yuuka remarked , Having found what she deemed a good nickname for Saki.)

"Haramura-san doesn't seem to like me very much" Saki continued ,hesitating a little

("Why does she cares about that pinkie , she is no fun at all" Flandre asked ,not understanding.)

"We haven't talk much since I joined" She ended ,looking a little sad .

("You will understand that there are different type of interesting person Flandre" Yukari answered ,grinning at what she was implying.)

"Oh, Nodoka , It's a little complicated you see"The boy said , following Saki to the old building

"How?" Saki asked honestly curious .

"Being the middle-school champ' she is supposed to be the best in her year and is dubbed to be a "genius" by the Media. And then you appear and beat her up , doing thing even harder than wining like it was nothing.

I guess that what irritated her" The boy summarized.

"I see" Saki answered thoughtful.

"And there also that lame excuse about breaking even so that your family don't get mad at you for winning too much" He added

"It's not Lame!" Saki shouted , ticked off by that last comment

("To be fair , she could have found a better mean than that" Yukari comment.)

"But now you know the fun of winning , so you won't hold back right?"

"Yeah , That's true"

_At least I won't do it knowingly ,but I feel I still can't play at my best._

_(It'll come with time little girl ,don't worry)_

"Stop right there you two" a voice shout from above them. "I'll go with you."

("Ho! It's the tacos' cat , How can she eat so much of those thing" Koishi remarked.

" I don't know ,but Chen always was a bit of a glutton" Yukari answered pouting

"So I guess she just is in too much synchronization with her" I ended the little talk "So ,what will happen today?")

When the trio reached the clubroom ,they found Nodoka inside ,playing by herself with the mahjong set.

"You're the only one here Nodoka?" Yuuki asked to the pinkette.

"Mako and the president are coming later , they have something to do." Nodoka answered ,still focused on her games.

Saki tried to sign her hello but was ignored.

The two other gone to make tea, Saki took a place at the table and ,trying anew to get in contact with Nodoka ,asked :"What are you doing Haramura-san?"

"I am trying to get to +/-0 with one of the game wile playing an open game where I play all the hand"She answered , taking note on her book.

She then showed it to Saki and added "Even like this I can't seem to be able to make it." She was still mad at Saki .

("Don't be Mad at her for being good,be mad at yourself for your lack of understanding." Yuuka point out.

"Making things like that isn't as easy as it seem little missy" Yukari followed ,obviously amused at the situation.)

…

After Yuuki and the boy came back with the tea , they sat on the table on the four of them started a training match.

The match was a mirroring of every training match till now .

Yuuki started as dealer and tried to win quickly, the little girl was good at starting the game, but Nodoka was really fired up and Yuuki couldn't even win one hand this time.

Nodoka then continued on a winning streak in her usual style for three consecutive win before Saki decided it was time for her to show up .

_Nodoka is really amazing , But I also will..._

("-Hell's Flower「Blooming Will」-" Koishi and Yuuka blurted out ,calling forth the power of a spell-card without the Danmaku actually showing.

"Again? What could be causing spell-card power to show?" I asked distraught by this.

"This never happened before ,And this time it's two at the same time" For once ,Yukari didn't seemed two know

either.

"I don't know either but it fell incredibly good"Koishi said her power still being pulled by the 'spell-card'.

"It's seem to come when her will flare up , it call the better of the power she can at the time. Yukari tried to analyze.

"Maybe a link with how Reimu is here now?" I tried ,envying Yuuka."

"Maybe , but personally I don't care , I can finally use my power , even if she as still a way before reaching the most of it" Yuuka said with a face of pure bliss.

"Uguu , I want to try that to , Why can't I?" Flandre complained, her power being used even less than mine.

"Wait like me Flandre , If you do something it might end like last time" I said her seriously

Flandre was about to retort but got cut by the pic of the spell.)

"Kan " Saki told calmly extending her end to the dead wall.

_That's right ,I am also blooming on the peak of the mountain ,just like that flower_

She clacked the 9d on the table and the rest of her hand turned naturally.

"Rinshan-Kaihou Tsumo, Men-Chinitsu , 4200/8200" Saki declared . "Baiman !" the three other exclaimed ,totally taken by surprise.

_I still don't know what inspired the phrase that Teru told Saki at that time ,but it's almost ironique in it's exactitude ._

…

The match ended with Saki large victory over Nodoka second , the boy ,third and Yuuki ended last ,far behind.

Since Saki had joined the club Yuuki's win ratio had been really weak and so she was a little demoralized

"It's Boring because I'm not winning" That phrase was said out of passing demoralization but it touch Saki who had recently found out the pleasure of winning.

"You can win the next one ,I'm sure of it?'" Nodoka said , encouraging her friend.

("Yes , if you train enough you should be able to do some great thing" Yukari comment ,strangely kind toward the host of her shikigami's shikigami.)

"Uh ,huh..." Yuuki sad about her result ,pushed the button for the dice for a new game.

But the destiny wasn't so kind, or perhaps too kind to Saki ,because a strange pic in her power happened right at the start of her first hand , and for the worst the one touched was Flandre.

("-Secret「And Then, There Will be None」-" The shout was deafening.)

It happened when they were picking up their tiles , when we looked at Saki's hand she was already 2 tiles away from a Kokushi-Musou .

("Ouch ,how will she handle that with the fact sh don't want to win this one?" Koishi asked ,knowing fully what Saki wanted.

"She have no choice but to win, I would be bad for everyone if she doesn't" Yuuka said.

"Well, lets see" Yukari continued ,letting an eyes on Flandre")

Two turn letter , she was in tempai , two of the three missing 'stars' having come in her hand.

("Said it right , no choice but too win" Yuuka reaffirmed.)

On the same turn , the bay discarded the 9d that was lacking but saki ignored it.

("What? What is she doing" Yuuka was really taken aback ,but not as much as the one feeding the power .

Flandre wouldn't let it go like that an poured even more of her power in the link.)

"Richi! My form is coming back" Yuuki declared , unaware of the turmoil going on in Saki's head.

Playing right next to of her saki picked her tile , end to her dismiss it was the 9d, but looking at Yuuki's and , t was quite possibly one of the tile she was waiting on.

_What do I do ? I already passed on it once ,should I trow it away or should I win? A tsumo wouldn't be the end of the game ,and even if Yuuki is dealer she could be able to come back. Ah I don't Know._

Saki remained a long time , lost in her though .

(_ Why is she hesitating so much?_)

Everyone ,was looking at her , and then , finally she posed the tile in front of her.

"Ro.." Yuuki was about to declare her win when Saki' game was revealed.

'Tack'

"n... !whoah! in three turn only?!" Yuuki was throw back in shock.

"Are you even human?" The boy blurted in surprise

"..." Nodoka didn't utter a word .Surly she had seen the 9d that was deal by the boy less than one turn earlier.

_It should be for the best that way ,Nobody will truly enjoy the game if I hold back. It was like with my family too , game became less fun after I started trying to win._

"Sorry Yuuki …" She said that like a whisper before finishing louder " Tsumo Kokushi-Musou 8000/16000"

("At least now we know she won't hold back" I said getting back my calm.

"She was about to lose the esteem she had recently got back"Yuuka said ,happy about the outcome.

"Yep ,I wouldn't like using my power for noth'" Flandre signaled her though " And you're right it fell good to use Power like that" She continued grinning like mad girl_._

"But it look like we weren't the only one to notice Saki's inner trouble .She's in for some trouble after the match.)

And in fact, during all the match ,Nodoka eyed Saki every move , suspicious. But nothing happened ,and the game ended with Saki upholding her lead by a small margin before Yuuki ,who had flared after that yakuman.

The fact that Nodoka wasn't really paying attention to the game helped a lot.

"Would've won if I wasn't dealer when Saki did that yakuman" Saki complained , but her voice had all the sign that she had already cheered up.

"I'm done for the day" Nodoka whispered ,getting out in a rush.

"Ah , I'll go with you" Saki said running after Nodoka.

…

After some time Saki caught up with Nodoka.

"Haramura-san ,I'm Really glad I joined The mahjong" Saki finally started ,the silence weighting on her .

Nodoka didn't answer.

"And playing with you Is really fun" Saki continued

But Nodoka ticked off at that.

"I'm Not having fun" she cried, Turning to Saki.

"Huh..?" She wasn't following

"If you're to continue playing like you just did, you should quit the club" Nodoka suggest ,the anger in her eyes

("Ouch , she's harsh" Yukari commented")

"What..? Why?" Saki was genually surprised by that.

"You said you wanted to win right? So why did you not Ron that Kokushi out of Suga-kun? You were even hesitating with the Tsumo." She resumed ,

"I was thinking about Yuuki and.."

"I've known Yuuki since Middle-school , she isn't weak..."

"I know that ,That why I played It in the end ,I didn't want to do the same error I did Back with my family"

Saki cut out , having taken back her feet.

"...oh ...OK But don't do that any more Please ,because I also want to have fun" Nodoka said ?blushing slightly.

"Of course … I already decided it was for the best that I don't hold back"

"I you do , won't be able do go to the national" Nodoka said, hiding her reddening face by turning back on her road back home.

"We won't be able to go to the national...?" Hearing that had a make a shock on Saki, dissipating all doubt she still had..

"That would be terrible for me" Saki followed

("And for us too , little flower"Yuuka added , her smile back to her face now that she was sure Saki won't hold back.)

"I... want to go to the National .No, I have to! No matter what!" She reiterated with all her conviction.

...

Afterward, Saki explicated Nodoka The reason she had to go , including her actual family situation. And then the fact that , through Mahjong , she believed she could get back her family, and her sister.

(_She really is quite the idealist)_

And then she ended with the thing that was the most disturbing for Nodoka , The name of her Sister ,Miyanaga Teru, the two time individual champion ,And ace of the two time team champion.

"So I'll try my best , so let's do it together" Saki ended her story

"?"

"Let's go to the National together" Saki Renewed her offer smiling cheerfully.

"Don't go easy anymore" Nodoka said tending her pinkie to Saki , the blush coming back.

"Sure".

* * *

(Nue Pov)

Earlier ,Hisa had gone to The club room to prevent she and Mako wouldn't come back till latter I the evening. She had find only Nodoka, still mumbling about the fact that what Saki did was not possible , And had let her the message for the rest of the club before taking off.

During the Trip to the City they had talked a lot about the player of their club ,and in particulate about the tense relationship between Nodoka and Saki ,but Hisa wasn't that worried.

...

She was now in the building were the Regional tournament will be held in less than one month. Accompanied by Mako , she was waiting for the ladder to be announced after having enlist her team earlier .

It was then that I felt Something , it wasn't nearby but it was really strong , so strong in fact that I nearly missed others powers' sources a lot more closer, in this building even.

("What's happening , Ten year ,with nearly nothing and then that Saki show up and there is Youkai's Power everywhere")

("I don't Know ,Nue ,But it must mean that we will be free it not so long")

Before we could continue there was a ringing tone and a voice announced that the bracket had been divided.

Kiyosumi , Hisa's school was in the B group .

"No bad , we will avoided the favorite before the final at least" Hisa said looking at the up at the top of the panel.

"The favorite hum" Mako answered acquiescing her president statement.

Then Hisa turner her head to where I felt one of the stronger power and point out to a pair of girl in a White and pink uniform.,a mass o f media circling them from a safe distance.

"First , Kazekoshi , Ruling the prefecture 6 year strait , they only lost last year and are still a power to be reckoned with" Hisa stated.("And a Team with at least two Youkai host" I added. "And not weak one ,even so I can say who they are from here".)

("And secondly , the last Year Regional Champion , The one who beat Kazekoshi and made it to the national's Semi-final , Ryumonbuchi" She continued. (" And if they beat those Kazekoshi , I suppose they'll also come with their share of Gensokyo resident." This time It was Hina who made the comment.)

Hisa pointed out to top of the panel were the final bracket will be displayed and shouted full of confidence " Wait us to the Final ,Ryumonbuchi High"

(I sighed " And something tell me they'll be at lest one other team with 'Youkai inside'," .

I then turned to Hina and said what I was thinking of everything right at the moment.

"You know What Hina , Just know I am really happy that we got that freak on our side , because if our hunch are right ,they ll be far too much Youkai on the day of the tournament"

"Hihi , You see. And It's only the regional" Hina answered , her optimistic mood back since last time

"...I am getting a headache , How many were we at that party?"

* * *

(Sakuya Pov)

The prefectural was coming near ,and being the chosen captain I had to go personally to enter the team tournament . So here I was with Sanae has a guide before the place that will host the event.

The building was a little bigger than the mansion and for some odd reason all blue .From what Sanae had said me earlier it host every major event in the prefecture ,Like concert , political conference and such.

Was mahjong that important . I knew it was a little popular but the school we go didn't even had a club before our arriving. And for the look off it there isn't a lot of participant.

"Sanae are you sure it's here, it's seem an odd place for a mahjong tournament" I point a the building.

"Yes , I am sure , look there are even a panel indicating it" She indicated the door just in front of us

"I saw it .it just that it's strange for a mahjong tournament to be held in such a place "

Sanae looked at me, surprised "I though you knew that mahjong was pretty popular"

"No I only knew It came with power but this place is for major event" I answered with an equal tone.

"I know and that's part the reason why I don't like mahjong" She followed

"I prefer discretion too ,But looking at the building it's like they use mahjong to determine politics" I joked

"I hope not, but humans are sometimes are power-crazy enough to do it" She was serious on that one and so the mood dropped down.

The discussion having died out and we finally entered .

There where a lot more person inside ,boys and girls wearing school uniform and some adult who must be coach or perhaps journalist. Some looked hesitant, other happy to be here , but most where scrutinizing the player from other school as if to gauge them.

And most of them where looking at us. Obviously because we just entered .

"So ,where is it that we have to sign." I asked Sanae.

She looked around a little before showing me a group more massive than the other"There I think ,under the panel with all the girls".

I sighed " I see , it'll take some time".

"That's what I am here for . To give you some company." The sarcasm wasn't even hidden in her voice .

" And don't forget to enter the five of us in the individual tournament" Sanae loudly whispered me while walking to the place Sanae had indicated.

I grinned "I won't forget ,don't worry ,I'll even put your name first"

"Sakuya ! You know that we must enter three of us for the national's individual because they'll be player there that we couldn't play in the team competition"Sanae continued ,talking louder

"Yes , I am not the forgetful type. And I like playing Mahjong so I am pretty happy about it in fact" I reminded her.

"I don't understand why you like it so much , it such a hassle "Sanae complained, looking around to see if someone was listening our babble.

"I just like playing the game , you're the only one of us who appear to don't like it in-fact"I continued making my own verification.

"Yes I know , and even it's worse because I don't feel any Youkai holder here .And I suspect we won't find anyone till the national" She said ,truly quite this time .

This is when I felt that there were something wrong ,there was no voice anymore , I looked around and saw that everyone was looking at us. _Well at least our little act his working._

It remained as such until it was or turn to register .

"Why everyone is quiet and looking at us" I asked the girl at the desk what was happening with the most innocent tone I could .

" It must be because you claimed you'll win the team tournament and take the three place for individuals even so your school never participated." The girl answered lazily.

"Ah just that , it's not something that hard to believe really .After all Suzurushima did it last year I believe . So why couldn't we do it" I said, deadly serious.

" Suzurishima Is Yamanashi representative for the last 7 year and made it to ,at least ,the quarter-final each time" The desk girl answered ,this time more fierce about her answer.

"Yes but that was just because they were the strongest til now , you will see this year is different from the others."I stated thr fact.

She looked truly outraged ,and took some second to regain her calm.

" If you believe it, good for you .But even if you make it to the national you won't go farther that the quarter-final." She then answered with a little smirk.

"And why are you so sure?" Sanae entered the conversation ,looking for cue.

"You aren't that well inform if you ask" the girl answered " and I can't tell you, other team are waiting so register your school's name and the member's name for both individual and national , you'll decide the order on the day of the first match"

"Ah sorry" I wrote the names quickly and prepared to turn back.

" Fushigi all girl," the girl read aloud "Good luck. And if you want to know why you won't win you should watch the data about the previous national"She finished with a condescending tone.

"Thank you for your concern" I answered with my most radiant smile, the one I used when my foe give me precious information on how to kill him, and an invitation to do so.

"Sakuya we should go now ,Reimu and the other are waiting" Sanae urged me pulling me to the exit.

"You're right we don't have anything else to do here and the train will take some time back home" I answered calmly .

We got out of the building while the other were still looking at us.

"Sakuya you at least knew she was from Suzurushima High right?" It was more of a rhetoric question but I answered none the less.

"Of course we already did that much search remember"

" I though so ,but that act was a little too much." Sanae said smiling.

"Yes, maybe but now we have the confirmation that there his really interesting subject in the national if going to the quarter-final is already an accomplishment." I answered seriously "And I got to have a little fun playing with the nerve of a whole building"

" Humm , I already remarked it some time ago , but didn't you also got younger mentally?" She asked a little worryingly.

" Maybe a little but at worst I will go back to be how I was when I was 14-year-old and there isn't that much difference" I stated

" If you say so, as long as you don't lose your faculty I don't care , and you're at least a bit more less rigid"

On those world we arrived at the train station , most of our trip back to school was then past discussing how to get more data on our opponent , not that we were worried but better safe than sorry.

* * *

Back at the building where the tournament will take place one Iwahara Akiko was rummaging ,

She was the ace of her team and had made it two-time to the team national tournament and got a good finishing place in the individual. Was it not for that haughty blonde from Nagano she would have been in the top 16 for sure.

So how does those little no name from a no name school could look so confident that they could make it to the final. They didn't even know the hell that it was .

To be fair she herself didn't know ,but she had watch it from close and it was just pure insanity.

She finally found what she was searching for , the fiche from Fushigi high . She wanted the exact name of those girls "Izakoi Sakuya" and the other , "Kochiya Sanae" .

"I hope one of you to will be on my road , I'll show you what National player mean" she then put back the fiche just next the fiche of her own school .

There being 32 school in this year prefectural there wouldn't have seeded this time . And for some other reason two school having register one after an other had greater chance to be in the same block , so with that those girls will be out of the competition on the first turn . Or the second if they were lucky.

Akiko swiftly closed the box with the fiches of team tournament .

Sadly she couldn't do it for the individual ,those being a succession of more than 40 random match up .But the team tournament was more important and it would suffice to shut up those arrogant newcomers.

"Now I just have to wait for this afternoon to see if it worked" Akiko said smiling while going back to her own occupation.

* * *

End of Chapter 3.

Thank for Reading my work and feel free to review

Every thing is now ready for the tournament to start so wait eagerly for it in the next chapter.

Thank for reading.


	5. Chapter 4: First blood

First ,sorry for the late of the chapter , I had a little writer block near the end, I hope it doesn't show.

Second , This is the start of the formal competition , and so , because you should already know how the Sakis play, I won't show their preliminary match in the chapter .But fear not ,the Final will still partially be show in the next chapters

Now let's go with the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Saki nor Touhou . How is it even possible to own them both?

* * *

**Missing Power in Strict Sens **

Chapter 4: The first bloods

or

"Sometimes your first step in a competition can be harsh... for the others"

The curtain finally raised on the Inter-High prefectural team tournament . During two whole days, thousands of high-school girls would fight to try achieving their dream : Acceding to the 71st Inter-High National team tournament.

Only a few would manage it ,one team per prefecture to a total of 52 team ; only 260 would see the national and only 5 would be rewarded for their fight.

Yet for some it wasn't the true goal of this year's tournament , and due to an accident that happened (10-years and) a few month ago ,this tournament would be the strangest to ever be held since the start of the modern area.

But it wasn't the time yet for that .First the actors of what would be call the 'Monster's Mahjong Festival' had to made it trough the said prefectural .

And every tournament must start with the first match .

* * *

(Sakuya Pov)

We were now in our designated room .Just in front of the broadcast room where the game would be shown to spectators who came to see ,and others teams that came to spies on their future opponents.

"So Sakuya ,did you decide on the order ?"

"Yes , I did .But why did you let me do this alone ,I am the club president but it has nothing to do with who is to do that sort of important choice . If anything , Reimu should have done it with her Natural instinct." I answered her in a complaining tone .The task ,as easy as it might sound ,had been a mentally tiring one, and her question had just made me remember what I had to go trough .They had give me that role and I wanted to do it right.

"And My instinct told me you should be the one doing it"

"She's right . Nothing will come out of that argument now .Hurry up , the match will start in no time" Youmu hurried me .

"OK ,but if we don't make it to the final because of a bad match up it won't be my fault" I insisted.

"Aye,aye , we understand , what the list~ze?" Marisa pressed me on. She obviously didn't understand the importance of the order we would be in.

"OK , here it is ,please be quiet till I end" And so I spoke it out ".Vanguard :Sanae; Sergeant : Marisa ; Lieutenant : Reimu Vice captain :Myself ; Captain ;Youmu ."

"WHAT?" they blurted in unison . None of them seamed happy about my choices.

"You wanted me to choose the order ,and after seeing past records of National team and thinking it out , I feel it is the best arrangement." I explained them ,not without remembering them they had chosen to make me do it.

'The first turn will begin shortly . Every school please send your Vanguard to the designated location.'

"It's the call for the first match ,you should go Sanae" I said ,finding it to be the perfect distraction

"Hi , I'll go ,But you'll pay for this Sakuya ," She was really pissed at me.

_I knew she wouldn't like it _

"Look at it on the good side , you'll get a long pause,~ze" Marisa cheered her on. But that did not stop her from throwing a glare back at me before getting out.

After she was out Reimu sighed"I am suddenly doubting my own instinct ."she was the least angry about my choice and just looked a little distraught.

"Me too ,your choice make absolutely no sens to me~ze"

"For once, I am with her . How did you come with the idea I should be Captain ?"

"Yes tell us , I do not mind being lieutenant but I would like to know your Logic"

The three of them looked at me ,Their gaze urging me to answer so that they could find flow in my logic.

"Well , you see ..." I had of course my reason for that lay out , a logical one at that But it being logical and based on studying past records also meant it would likely be hard to explain to them .

"I don't think you'll understand , so just accept it okay ?" I try to calm them.

"Try to explain to us , where are not dumb not know~ze"

'The game will start in 1 minute , every player who's not in his designated room by the time of the starting signal will see his team eliminated'

"Well, let's just see the match for now , We will talk about the Sakuya's logic latter"Reimu cut ,sitting back on her siege.

"It's not as we can do something about it now" Youmu tried to rationalize ,her anger still lingering in her voice.

"By the way , does Sanae know she should hold back for now" I remarked , remembering that a pissed of Sanae would likely not do it .

"I don't think she is in the right mind-set to do it ~ze" Marisa confirmed my fright " And we're facing the last year's champions so it's fair game right?"

"Marisa ,this is not the reason we have to hold back remember?" Reimu called her back.

"Yeah , We should hold back till we find a target ,I know ,It's no fun at all ~ze"

* * *

While Reimu ,Youmu and Marisa were trying to get Sakuya to spill out her logic Sanae had finally reached the Room A .

She Was the first one in the room And so the first to draw her place.

She took one tile on the table and showed it to the referee.

"North ,Okay" The referee noted ,she then sated and wait for the others to come.

_Really ,what was Sakuya thinking making me vanguard? The vanguard is supposed to be the ace in most case and that most certainly not me .It should be Youmu, or Reimu if she wanted to put ace in both end of our team._

She then spoke aloud the real reason she was upset. "With that I'll be forced to play each time"

"Don"t worry this will be the only time you play" Sanae,Who did not expect an answer, looked where the voice came from.

When she saw who it was that has spoken she understood and grinned. The responsible was the girl who was at the desk when they had enlist.

_Well I will be the one to shut her up it seem ,Sorry Sakuya but you own me this at least._

"Stop bragging and pick your place so we can start" Sanae taunted her.

"We will see if you talk big after the end of the match ,mossy" Akiko answered her tau

_What's that green-haired problem. She can't be seriously thinking she'll beat us._

But it did not reach Sanae as she was used to far worse with Marisa .

Akiko picked the south tile and so sat in front of Sanae .

Soon after , the two other vanguard entered the Room and picked their place . St Emma High's would sit on west and that let Erizawa with the east and first dealer sit.

1 Minute and some politeness later the match began.

…

Sanae starting hand was a bad one , albeit not that much for her standards .She was four tile away from tempai and only had 1 of each dominant wind tile .

_Wind aren't blowing the right sens for now it seem_

Akiko's hand was a lot better , She was only two tile away from a mangan tempai . A truly good start . _I just Have to change that east and That north into a pair or complete that straight and I'll be ready._

The first discarded of Erizawa's vanguard was a Chun ,

"Pon"

Which was immediately called by St Emma player getting over Akiko's turn

_Playing for a fast win . I thank you for that ._

When Sanae turn came she drew An east , And the turn after a North , her and was shaping better than the starting her had indicted

Meanwhile Akiko's hand did not advance till the 6th turn when she finally drew a 6d , completing her straight , now she just needed a pair , but for what she wanted ,the wind wouldn't do . She looked at the game and saw that one of the North had already been discarded in that turn meaning it was safe._ Why didn't I throw those wind earlier already , I' must be tired ._

She had just put the tile on her discard when she heard Sanae call

"Pon"._Just one more now .Where will it come from?_

The next turn ,Akiko drew a 2c ,the Dora .She already had one in her hand for a straight making that draw the best she could wish for ._ Yes, that turn is mine now . It's only a two side wait but even if I don't Richi it'll be 12000 if I can get one of the remaining Dora._

She turned to look at her green-haired foe ._You'll see what it mean going against National level player ._

She discarded the east in her hand ._ There is no east in the discard but it should pass .No one is making sign of tempai so at worst there will just be a call ._

And the 'worst' happened as Sanae made her second call.

"Pon" _Every thing is ready now ,Thank for the points miss last year representative._

"Eh?" Akiko wasn't surprised at the call but a the cold gall she felt when it was made. _"What was that wind?"_

On her next draw Akiko got a 8c. It was not the tile she wanted and it also could be a risky tile as the one in front of her looked like she was could be in tempai after that call.

_What do I do now ,I could work with that eight as my pair ,But it would greatly reduce my hand value. And Th 2c look even more dangerous ._

In fact ,from where she was ,she could see all The 7c meaning that at least it couldn't complete a straight.

_That girl can't be that dangerous after all._

On reaching that though Akiko made the choice of discarding the 8c she had just drew.

"Just what I was Waiting .Ron"

Sanae took the 8c and placed it next to the hand she had just complete

"East ,North Honitsu ,two Dora ." She announced her hand " 12000 please"

"... hi..." Akiko answered in disbelief . She then look at the complete hand and her distress only grew .

2,3,3,4,4,red5,8m,8m' and the two Pon of east and north.

_So I should have trow the Dora ? Those thing happen but to take it on the first turn hurt ._

She turned once again to Sanae . "You'll pay for this . They'll be the only point you win."

Sanae smirked "We'll see , but for now you should trow the dice , it's your turn as dealer now"

_And you didn't even saw the start of it ,that I don't like the game don't mean I am no good at it after all._

…

Akiko's starting hand was less good this time, yet it was still not far away from tempai , and being dealer,even 3 han hand could get her back on track , not that she was that far behind considering they all started at 100 000 point. But she had to take caution.

_I was to hurried back there , I won't do the same error twice. So let's start with this._

She discarded a lone West in her hand.

Sanae saw that and smirked.

_Had you done that earlier it may have helped you but this time it'll be useless I fear._

I fact ,even so her hand was once more far from tempai ,she ,this time ,had already a full set of west in her hand,

those being accompanied by a pair of east ,the other tiles were 9,6,3m ;8,6,2b 2,red5d; S;

_Still ,why are my starting hand that bad when I am in a good place?_

Sanae first draw was an East .She obviously kept it and threw away the 9_m _and the game continued .

The next tree turn she didn't get do draw any thing , Akiko and the Erizawa ,Respectively calling a Chi on a 4'53d and two Pon on a Hatsu and 6b.

Those two player's hands building quickly she had to take care of not playing in there hand.

When she finally was able to draw she got a 4d ,and threw her 6m immediately called by Akiko "Pon".

_Perfect , now I am in tempai , I'd like it to be better , but I still got the dealer repeat if I win so still good._

She look at what was reaming in her hand , Three Chun and 2345b, her hand was only 2han tank to the red5d on her call but she still had a shot at a 3han if she got the red5b .And she could even got a mangan if she could pull a Rinshan and get the red5b that way.

_I wish I was able to do that .But lets be realist that 30fu 2han hand is the best I should hope for now ,I shouldn't be reckless or it'll end up like the first hand. _

5 turn passed but nothing came to her , she couldn't help but fell that someone was retaining her wining tiles ; And when she saw the Kochiya girl throw a 8b she was sure of it , some how that girl new what she was waiting for.

In the mean time , Sanae hand was getting well , the injustice of a bad start repairing itself .Her hand was now 765b 2b 23d WWW EEE S , one away from tempai .

And when her turn came once again the tile she drew was a 1d .

_Okay now I just have to wait and pray._

"Richi" She discarded the South and put the 1000 point stick in front of her.

_Why did she kept that South till now ? _Erizawa's player decided to fold , even so she was 1 away from tempai.

Akiko's turn came and she got the last red dragon _. Had She didn't make that Richi ,I would have call , but I am already behind , I don't want to take the risk. _She discarded it.

And when Sanae drew that same turn , she didn't even looked at the tile a declared while putting the 2b on the table .

"Tsumo,Richi ,Ippatsu ,West ,East" She revealed her hand. " 2000/4000"

_And of course I pay the lion part of it. Maybe I should have try that Kan.. _

Point stick change hand and the The table prepared for the next game .

…

East 3 and East 4 were likewise won By Sanae, a 6400 Hand (East ,South ,Haku) Ron on St Emma and a 1300 (Double-East) Tsumo.

And so came the first repeat of East 4 ,Sanae was once again the Dealer. _I hope it will go alright._

Akiko was dumbstruck. She could comprehend why she didn't win even so she was so close each time.

_What's the deal with this girl ,she won four times in a row now . Is she like those monster at the National?_

Akiko took her tile before going back to stare the girl in front of her

_She Is their vanguard so she must be their ace. After all she came along with their captain when they registered._

She looked at her hand. Trying to find the strength

_Again a good starting hand .I mustn't lose confidence. Even if she is an Ace, so am I ._

"I won't let this chance pass"She murmured to herself.

On the 13th turn she manage to reach tenpai _.Why do I feel that thing are different this time ?It's like the tempest past ,thing are calmer ._

She took a glance at the discard_ Even for me it took a normal time to reach tempai ,all other_ _had were already end at that time ._

She got back looking at her current hand ._And I really have a good feeling for once,Maybe I shouldn't tempt fate but I really got to take those point back.._

That's when she saw the expression on Sanae's face.

"Richi"Akiko threw the 3d that didn't have its place in her hand anymore a placed the Richi stick where it belonged. She somehow knew that it would pass this time.

And she was proven right when 2 turn later the St Emma girl discarded the 1b she was holding.

"Ron, Richi , Pinfu itsuu Dora-Dora" then reveling the ura-dora "No ura Haneman with the dealer repeat 12300."

She took point "Finally some point taken ,I was starting to think I had lost my touch"

"Can we start the south wind now?" Erizawa's vanguard asked starting to lose patience.

"Of course,Go ahead"Akiko answered still happy at her win. She didn't knew it was to be her lone win of the day after all.

And then ,Just when the dice started to roll Sanae asked a question that would forever remain in the mind of her three foe."Do you feel the Wind blow?" .

And all the three of them could think at the moment was two words "_The Wind?"._

* * *

(Reimu Pov)

"I am back" Sanae clacked the door.

I turned to the sound of Sanae voice "Sanae you could have refrain more of showing your ability"

"I know ,but I wanted to cool of a little for being put vanguard" She said pinching the bridge of her nose

"I saw that , I just hope you won't have problem later because of player analyzing your style" Youmu frowned

"Yeah , And at least you didn't show your others skills, just the main one" I remarked ,remembering one in particular.

The following comments proved that the other were thinking about the same ability

"Yep , If she had to use that one, I would have to work a lot after~ze" Marisa said with a knowing smirk .

"You said it ,That thing is really a last resort"Youmu acquiesced , I could only agree ,that 'thing' was useful but embarrassing.

"A last resort that's the main reason she is vanguard." Sakuya explain proudly

"What, I was put vanguard because of 'that' ! It'll be useful for the individual , but how could I be in a situation to use it in the team tournament , I am not that bad !" Sanae shouted ._ Is she that frustrated about it ?_

"I'll show you the National Final again , you'll understand" Was Sakuya only explanation ,but it sufficed for everyone to understand.

"You mean 'That girl' right? , I Am sure she is possessed by Youkai ,there is no other way ." I said ,likely resuming the others' thought.

"...? Her? but she was Captain last year .What does it have to do with me being vanguard?" Sanae reacted a little later ,trying to find the reasoning.

"Because I think she might be vanguard that year .That would be the best place for her if she is not Captain" Sakuya graced her ,seeing she didn't understand.

And understand she did .

"... I … You … I … You'll pay Sakuya …if she end up being Vanguard I'll make you regret it" tears were showing in the corner of her eyes out of frustration, and maybe panic.

_I can understand ,Even I don't want to play her._

"Calm down Sanae ,We don't know if it's true and we aren't there yet" I tried to calm her down, At least understanding wer she was coming from. That player was just too weird.

"And there might be worse player than her ,So by getting her you might avoid worse~ze"Marisa's argument was valid too ,but it didn't took all the problem. It was more adding fuel to already burning fire.

"I doubt it ,I already know I'll have to do most of the work"Sanae pouted , lying down the farther she could in the sofa, The tear of fright still on her cheeks

Seeing that whatever we said ,it wouldn't calm her, and not wanting to think of even bigger problem, I decided to turn the conversation to a nearer future.

"Let's drop the subject for now ,Or we will not see the end of it" I then turned to Marisa "Marisa , Don't show too much but don't drop behind"

"Hi , It's finally my turn"Marisa took her hat and opened the door.

"Halt Marisa" I caught her by the arm

She look me in the eyes ,not understanding why I did that. "What~ze?"

"Let your hat here " I answered while taking a little bag on the sofa where Marisa was seated " And don't forget the 'Soul collectors"

"Meh , I love my hat ,I can't play my best without it"

I caught Sakuya smirking in the corner of my eye but dismissed it for latter.

"This is precisely what we don't want mind you , we can't go all out yet ."

"But what if there is a Youkai~ze?" Marisa said tentatively ,trying to justify the wearing of her trademark hat in the competition.

"If you detect a Youkai you should try your best and tell us afterward , We can make so that you fight her on the next turn"

"But... Hi~ze"She put her hat back on her place. I handed her the 'soul's collectors' and she got out of the room . _I hope it'll be alright!._I sighed

"Don't worry Reimu ,she's good enough to pull trough something that easy" Sakuya said with a tone of reassurance .

"I 'm not worried about her ,If she lose too much I'll just have to take them back,So no need to worry" I said matter a factly.

"Hi Hi... We know you'll avenge her if needed. But I don't think you'll get the chance to do that before the national. Sergeant are almost always the weak-point of a team" Youmu taunted me while adding her grain of wisdom .

"It's not about avenging her. It's just that it'd give me more work and I don't want to show 'that' yet. But what's about the weak-point?" I turned to Sakuya to get explanation remembering that earlier smirk " Is It the reason you but Marisa Sergeant?

"Yes it is , But don't say it to her please" She answered with that same smirk before adjusting her explanation "Her natural talent will do wonder on that place ."

"Her natural talent? What do you mean"Sanae asked, curious at what Sakuya was implying .

"You'll understand soon enough" Sakuya sat back in her chair. Still smiling at her own jokes.

"I hope you're right , But seriously Are you sure you're alright Sakuya ?" I inquired a little worried

"What do you mean?" Sakuya looked puzzled at the question.

"She mean. Your not acting like your normal stiff self ,me think your body really wasn't the only one touch by that maelström" Sanae answered for me."

"Well , maybe ,But I don't feel anything and I can think clearly so we will see about what's happening to me after ,we rescue Remilia-Sama and the other."Sakuya said dismissively ,insisting on the 'after'

"Uhm , If you say so ,But tell us if anything happen ,For now we should just wait and see If your arrangement for Marisa work."I concluded.

We got back to the Starting Sergeant match.

…

"What!" That was the only thing I could say when Marisa ended her match

"...That resume my thinking pretty well Reimu ,Thank you" Youmu Remarked on an even tone.

We couldn't but her eyes anywhere but on the score sheet: Fushigi 236 400 Suzurushima 74 800 St Emma 60 100 Erizawa 28 700.

"That what You where talking about when you said "Natural talent"? Sakuya" Sanae was the first to turn her head ,looking at Sakuya.

"Yes ,The natural talent to 'break everything that is too weak to resit', I was a little worried that she put them under zero but look like she could restrain" I could heard the laugh in Sakuya's voice

"I must admit it was a good choice , Now the three of us will just have to lay back and defend"Youmu said back from her shock.

"Good for you " Sanae was still bitter for her vanguard position and it showed in her tone ",I will always have to work but you can lay back"

"It's only against weak team , In the national ,it'll become a lot harder for us" I reminded her.

"And if we found a target , we will have to be a lot more subtle while still pushing her ,It'll be hard on us"Youmu added

"There is that too , You see Sanae everyone Must play her role" Sakuya explained again.

"I know ,It just that the vanguard is typically the one that eat all the heavy hitter and I don't like that" Sanae pursued her complaint .

"See the good thing. Now that you know She will do the work ,you can lay back too and let the come back to Marisa" Youmu joked acidly.

"I couldn't possibly..."

"Let what too me~ze"Marisa interrupted coming back from her match

"Nothing, just Sanae complaining about being vanguard again"I answered

"What just? This serious I don't want to have the hardest work" Sanae was outraged

"Ah ...Just that , I though It was something interesting~ze" Marisa continued not listening Sanae.

"And everyone think I am the lazy one ,You should be happy to have every one trust Sanae"I seriously said Sanae .When I was sure she had understood I got up from my place and took my bag of orb. "I should go now ,don't destroy the place while I am not here"

"Don't worry we can't use spell card here" Youmu said.

And like I had a premonition, I completed her sentence "For now ,that is" I closed the door , only understanding what I implied while walking to the playroom ._I don't like what I just said ,I really hope I'm wrong or that's going to turn really nasty._

* * *

(Yuuka Pov)

It was now the pause between the two play of the day. The little flower and her team were eating at the Hall's cafeteria while waiting for the next match .

Most of the other teams had just end their match but not Kiyosumi ,they had end there match 1h30 hour ago by putting a team under 0 during the vice-captain match. Yuuki , Mako and Hisa had already put the three other team under 40 000 so it wasn't hard for an half awaken Nodoka/Ran to do the rest .

The only sad point was that the little flower didn't get to play. It wouldn't have been much of a challenge but still ,it would have get us some exercise. From information they had got ,They seemed to be some decent fight ahead .But It was not to be till the final the day after .

...

Two week ago , before the whole team started a 'training camp' Saki and Ran's host had been tricked into playing a match against a professional player.

The result weren't bad ,Saki managing never getting below +/-0 and Nodoka getting 2nd or 3rd ,but it was clear that the professional never did get totally serious .To be fair nor did Saki ,Koishi told us that she was unwittingly holding back due to her past trauma, I blame Flandre awakening the day before for that.

At the end of the games , Fujita-pro said that there was a girl who could beat her in the reining champion of the prefecture. That new managed to boost the spirit of the girls, wanting to train more to be on the level.

To that day I am still sure it was precisely what Hisa was counting on ,as she announced the camp just after the event.

...

So, till then all we could do was looking at the matches ,which were more like one-way massacre. Each play was like three Minor fairy trying to beat a Youkai, even when holding back they had no chance. Not that I don't find it amusing to trounce some fairy for time to time ,But like I said ,The little flower didn't even get to do that and so we were all bored.

Being bored wasn't new ,We were all fairly old in there , so we were accustomed to the feeling , and passing 10 year inside the soul off a now 16year old human? girl wasn't even the most boring thing some of us had done. But the really boring thing was that restless feeling at knowing there would be some real action in a really near future, And if our sense hadn't dulled , the girl who was better than a pro , that Amae Koromo , wasn't the only interesting one.

It wasn't anything like the little flower's sister ,but then again we're not sure if those two were ever really human, but it was strong enough to be noticeable at distance. We would have our fun , but it would have to wait.

…

Lost in my thought, I nearly missed it when Fujita-pro approached the team.

"Yo,Congratulation on acceding the second turn"Fujita said ,bearing the same demeanor she had at the parlor.

"Oh ,Fujita-san ,what business a pro like you have with our little team doing" Hisa replied

Fujita ignored the pike and continued"You really did a good job with your team Hisa ,

even that girl is now at a respectable level" she said indicating Nodoka.

"But I am really curious what the last one here as in stock ,she was already quite good last time" she shift to Saki.

"Oh, You are ?You know I wouldn't reveal my trumps cards, but I believe you already have a good idea about what some of them could be." Hisa answered with a phlegm that made clear the fact those two knew each other rather well.

"Hum , yes you're right , But I am still surprised at how better they got. What is your secret?" The pro asked for the form ,knowing she would go nowhere.

Hisa put her finger on her cheek and tilted her head in a confused way "I don't know .Wouldn't it have something to do with a certain someone showing them they weren't good enough yet?"

"You sly fox, you didn't change" Fujita put a falsely outraged grin, before chaining up on more serious matter . But even if you manage to go to the final , You will have to go against a Ryuumonbuchi and Kazekochi.

"Ryuumonbuchi's Amae's strength is almost out of this world . And Kazekoshi as is best team in year. Beating the both of them would be impossible"

At that Saki reacted , Jumping out of her chair " Are they really that strong?" contrary to what the question implied Saki sound hopeful.

Every one at the table was stunned by her reaction.

("She really is growing back to her old self, our little flower")

But before Fujita-pro could reply the call for the second round came and they were forced to go back to their duty.

("When she is like that I ask myself if she isn't a scion of Gensokyo" Yukari dreamily whispered next to me, her gaze lost in the past.

"Maybe ,who know").

* * *

(Reimu POV)

With the games of the day end , we were know in the hall ,heading for the exit of the building.

"Today wasn't a hard day" Marisa spoke up, breaking the silence with the sum up of the day, "Was it really necessary to train that much~ze?"

"It was ,believe me ,we just didn't have any good enough opponent in this Prefecture" Sakuya answered in all seriousness, taking preparation at heart. The cause of it escaped me then ,but it was it was a good thing so I didn't inquired.

The statement was continued by Youmu who decided to informed us of her day's finding "They will be tomorrow"

Everyone looked her ,perturbed by the lateness of the information.

"What do you mean?" I inquired , trying to get what ,she meant precisely ,I had my idea but it was best to be sure.

"At least one player tomorrow is Youkai's 'host" Youmu's answer was what I expect.

"How do you know that? I didn't saw anyone~ze." Marisa was more at a lost . It was understandable as she was the one with the less supernatural sense.

"When I was coming back from my match earlier I came across her , it was just for a moment but I am sure there were one."Youmu ,due to her nature as a half-ghost , was the one with the best ,so it wasn't surprising she could sens it on such short notice.

"So you will have some action tomorrow Youmu , great for you." Sanae react ,with the same cynicism she had all day.

"No ,"Youmu paused two second "or maybe I will, but the girl was playing Vice-Captain for Sakurazou ,So it will be Sakuya's job." She informed us, pointing the one assigned to the task.

"Thank for the information Youmu ,I would have found out while playing but with this info I can adapt my play from the start to push her."Sakuya answered ,Probably already, thinking out her plan for tomorrow. For some unknown reason ,Sakuya had taken really seriously the responsibility of being the president of the club and it was showing in preparation of each match.

Youmu dismissed Sakuya thank with an hand-wave, walking ahead of us"Don't mention it ,the quicker we collect them the quicker we can go back ,I just wish It was Yuyuko-sama .But it isn't ,I would have know."She said ,longing in her voice. She clearly was missing her mistress dearly. When Sakuya had first started looking throw video of past tournament ,Youmu had done it with her in the hope she could find Yuyuko. But even if they had found some solid clue about whose player might be a host, We hadn't found any whose might be The one housing the Dead's princess.

"Reimu, If your adversaries aren't hosts could you please go easy on them ,I don't know haw much I'll have to to beat her before we get something." Sakuya turned to me, her planning going ahead.

"I will see what I can do . But with Marisa playing before I already have to hold back a lot . With that, I will literally have to slack off if they're not good enough"I answered earnestly

Sanae snickered "You can take my place if you want" there wasn't the slightest bit of sincerity in her voice, having already abandoned such futile hope.

"No thank you , I love my place , only doing thing when they are necessary is what I love."I reject her offer with a smile. Smile that ,to my amazement, she gave me back, albeit diminished.

"You are far less on edge than you were four month ago , Why is that" Sanae continued, trying to forget her predicament to come.

" I think it's because we are finally doing what we must . That and the steam I blew of in my match earlier."I answered.

" And you were saying I showed too much that morning , What you did was really showing off" She chained up , glad to escape a subject she had nearly brown.

" You saw those girls and the hands they were forming right? It was that or they would have gang up on me"I tried to explained

" You still chained each of them with the same direct hit Yakuman , on your last dealer turn" Youmu turned around, deadpan.

" It was their fault for being careless" I didn't understand why was I attacked for doing what I should.

Youmu just stared me in the eyes.

" Still... ,they lost every points they had taken back ...and then some~ze" Marisa resumed playing back the scene in her head

"I actually had to use my power to make sure I was the one getting hit after that ,something I never want to do ever again" Continued the accusation..

All four of them had stopped and were now staring me, in the eyes

"OK , Maybe I did a little too much , but it worked out in the end right" I really didn't saw were the problem was.

"It worked , yes ,but we will be more exposed in the future. You said it yourself ,hide the most of our power till we need them."Sanae hammered, The irony of the situation being too much for her to resist.

"Stop it , anyone who know how to read a match record could know that ability just by reading them a little. It won't change anything" It was true , my ability was more of a passive one after all.

"You might be right ,but We would still have preferred you didn't do it."Sakuya said.

The three other nodded .

", I made an error ,I know. And I won't do it again"I admitted my defeat . "What's done it's done . Now we go back to the pension and sleeps , There might be more than one tomorrow so we must be ready". I headed back to the doors , hiding my embarrassment.

...

Thereupon, we got out of the building where the tournament took place .

While walking to the train station, y sigh fixed on the sky, and once more I saw the false moon. I didn't know how the Lunarian made it ,but from there ,It looked exactly the same as the true . If a lot less shinning . With the light of the city ,I could see no star in the sky ,letting the Moon alone in the heaven.

The saw was a little depressing for me ,who had grown all my life with the real Moon hand all the star in the sky , But it was at the same time a reminder of the mission we had. More than our friend soul ,They was also no telling what effect all that power might do to the girl they were in .

Somewhere out there ,there were people housing power far to great for them to handle . And even if they were almost no magic in the air , I knew that it didn't mean they wouldn't be able to use some power in the long run . After all, Yukari could use her power outside and it had taken almost 500 year for Remilia to decide she could no longer live outside , and even that had been more out of annoyance she had against the Human.

We hadn't lost our power when going outside as well, the fact that I could use the Ying-yang Orb to communicate with Gensokyo was a proof .

We were just not used to use them outside with so little ambient magic.

Every thing I knew was pointing toward the possibility that , as the time pass , those girls might start manifesting power outside the mahjong table. And might start communicate with the souls inside them .

What would happen if it come to it. Would some of them become like Alice?

I had reach that point when the train departed .

It was Then ,the bag on my laps slipped and revealed the Orb that was pass down on my family . The light reflecting on it stung my eyes and snapped me out of my though.

Stuffing it back in the bag , my eyes fell on Marisa and the answer hit me . She had been exposed and used a lot of magic , but she was still perfectly human . It wasn't some mouth passed possessed by a Youkai that would change that , And Alice had done that voluntary. Why was I thinking something so silly .

Yet , the fact that some of them might develop power was real , And even if my job was only protecting Gensokyo , I couldn't help but worry. Something was tingling my instinct , I was missing a crucial piece of the puzzle that was in front of me. And whatever it was could make that already dangerous and tiring Incident even worse. But this time ,the answer didn't came to me , no matter how much I though about it .

It was those times that I regretted not having Suika or Yukari with me . They may not be serious at all ,and had started their fair share of incident , but when the security of their beloved Gensokyo was at stake ,they were a precious help to get information.

"_maybe I should ask Miko or Seiga if they have an idea about it .They are pretty knowledgeable when it come to that stuff"_

…

Miko had no idea about what was bugging me , but was pleased to finally get news about us .

Since the day we had crossed , I had not contact her more that two time to check thing so she was starting to think I had forgotten her.

Seiga wasn't there at the moment but she promised she would ask her . Without any other clue to the current problem , I lied down and once more look at the moon , here in the 'Touhou garden'. The moon was almost full and , I noted, dragging my eye at her a lot tonight . Was it saying something to me?

The full moon was known to have strange effect on people , so maybe I was subject to them.

Pondering that fact I continued to stare at the moon till the cream word took me, The petal of the blooming flower passing without stop in my sight even in my sleep.

End of Chapter 4

* * *

Thank you for reading

Please review , I need to now what I do badly . Or I won't be able to correct it for future work.

And review also about what I do good , so that I can do it again.

Fragment of ring.


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